KCC to protect relocated street vendors

Wed, 22 Mar 2017 11:49:44 +0000

By ROGERS KALERO

THE Kitwe City Council (KCC) will ensure that street vendors relocated from the city corridors into designated markets are not harassed by anybody, Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe has said.

Mr Kango’mbe also said the local authority will ensure that those traders whose structures were demolished at Chisokone market to pave way for the construction of the concrete slab to accommodate the street vendors were compensated accordingly.

Mr Kang’ombe said in an interview at the weekend that apart from accommodating the relocated vendors, the council would also work hard to improve sanitation at Chisokone market through its programme of cleaning up the city.

“As a local authority, we want to ensure that apart from properly accommodating the relocated street vendors who were removed from the city corridors, we also embark on a programme to improve sanitation at Chisokone market.

“People will castigate us, say all sorts of things, but, as a local authority we will remain focused and ensure that we set a firm stage for a cleaner and healthier Kitwe. We may face challenges, but we need the support of residents,” Mr Kang’ombe said.

And Association of Vendors, Traders and Marketeers of Zambia (AVTMZ) general Kelvin Kahilu said he was grateful to the mayor for exhibiting ‘‘true leadership qualities’’ by embracing a consultative approach to whatever he was doing.

Mr Kahilu said the street vendors had decided to support the mayor in his efforts of relocating street vendors from the city corridors because he had taken a consultative approach to the issue and was now seeking to properly accommodate the vendors at Chisokone market.

He said his association will always seek dialogue with the council on various issues affecting the welfare of its members so that a fair deal was struck in the interest of the members.

“As we said last time, we will not take a confrontational stance against the local authority when pursuing the interest of our members, but we will seek dialogue. We believe aggression cannot solve problems.

“No, aggression can’t solve problems, if anything, it just worsens the problems. The mayor has shown us that dialogue will always solve problems,” he said.