Sale of food next to toilets alarms residents

Fri, 17 Mar 2017 14:27:23 +0000

By KALOBWE BWALYA

THE continued sale of foodstuffs near public toilets at Soweto, Lumumba and Kulima Tower bus stations in Lusaka is worrying the public which has asked the Lusaka City Council (LCC) public health inspectors to move in quickly.

Misheck Kandulo, a Lilanda resident, said the council should increase the number of inspectors to enforce the ban on the sale of foodstuffs under unhealthy conditions and that the team should include State police officers.

Mr Kandulo said it was unfortunate that people were failing to observe hygiene when selling food.

He  recalled that the  LCC banned street vendors from dealing in fresh foods after the cholera bacteria was found in some of the food samples tested by the Food and Drug Control laboratory in Lusaka a few months ago.

Mr Charles Lusambo also said the sale of fritters, peeled fried sweet potatoes, fried chicken and sausages as well as other foodstuffs especially at Lumumba and Kulima Tower bus stations showed that the local authority was not serious in its campaign to promote vending in clean environments.

He said the problem was also with the public who were in the habit of buying from vendors selling food next to stagnant water, heaps of garbage and toilets.

‘‘Imagine, how do you buy fritters or drinks next to public toilets?’’ she asked.

Another concerned resident Naomi Mugala said lack of routine inspections by public health inspectors on food hygiene was a major challenge in Zambia.

She advised the public to practice good hygiene to ensure that they did not contract diseases.

Earlier this year the council issued a statement urging the public to avoid buying food from the street.

The council reminded the public to observe basic hygiene, including systematic hand washing with soap after using the toilet and before handling food or eating, as well as safe preparation and conservation of food.