By ROGERS KALERO
OVERZEALOUS Kitwe City Council (KCC) Police officers early yesterday moved in the Central Business of District (CBD) to remove street vendors from the city corridors .
The council police officers also manhandled a Daily Nation reporter and grabbed his phone as one of the officers urged his colleagues to handcuff him for taking photos of their operation.
But when contacted for a comment, Town Clerk Mbulo Seke said council officers were not sent to remove the street vendors, but to arrest and prosecute people buying goods or merchandise from the undesignated places or streets.
Mr Seke, who later called for a meeting between the Journalist and his officers, demanded to know who had issued instructions to them to move in the city corridors and remove the vendors.
The four officers including one lady officer who was calling on her colleagues to handcuff the Daily Nation Journalist failed to give a satisfactory answer, compelling Mr Seke to advise his officers to handle people with caution regardless of their status in society.
“I didn’t send you to go and remove street vendors from the streets, but I told you to arrest and prosecute people buying goods or merchandise from the undesignated places or streets. When you are dealing with people, be careful.
“Deal with people in a cautious manner regardless of their status in society. The issue of removing street vending is being done in a cautious manner and so do not be overzealous or else, you will create unnecessary problems,” Mr Seke said.
Earlier council police officers moved in the city corridors and confiscated various goods from the vendors, while those who sell at Shoprite were found standing helplessly after the council police officers grabbed their goods.
At Salvation Army, the council police officers took time to demolish pellets or wooden stands which Salaula vendors use as stands.
Last week on October 4, 2021, Mr Seke said the council will from next week Monday start to arrest and prosecute people buying goods or merchandise from the undesignated places or streets.
