By KALOBWE BWALYA
ALL mobile money booths and makeshift stalls along Great East road have been brought down to bring sanity to the CBD ahead of the African Union mid-year summit July 14, 2022, Local Government and Urban permanent secretary Nicholas Phiri has explained.
Mr Phiri has said the exercise is meant to bring sanity in the area.
He explained that since Zambia will be hosting the AU summit there is need to ensure that the city is clean especially Great East where the delegates will be entering from the Airport.
Mr Phiri said his office will not allow any illegal erection of structures as that is illegal and does compromise the hygienic and standards of the area .
He bemoaned the illegal mushrooming of mobile money booths among other illegal businesses without following the laid down procedure.
“We have decided to remove the mobile money booths ahead of the AU summit aimed at bringing sanity in the area especially along the Great East road,” said Mr Phiri.
Lusaka city council police swung into action removing mobile money booths and makeshift stands and also in some parts of the central business district.
The move which is aimed at creating sanity ahead of the July 14 African Union-AU Mid-Year Summit has angered affected operators.
The operators have complained that the local authority’s action has cut off their source of income hence many do not know how they will recover losses that will be incurred from the disruption.
They said if the local authority find their operations to be illegal the council should find alternative areas where they can resume their operation.
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