THE call that Vice-President Mutale Nalumango has made about councils addressing the thorny issue of street vending is not new.
Street vending has gone out of control, especially in Lusaka not because there are no laws against the practice.
The laws are there, what is or has been lacking is the political will to enforce the existing by-laws.
Ms Nalumango yesterday called on local authorities throughout the country to pass by-laws which will introduce penalties for people who buy products on the streets.
Ms Nalumango said the by-laws will deter people from buying from street vendors and in the long run, this will make the vendors return to established markets.
The Vice President was speaking when she officially re-opened the refurbished Lusaka City Market which was gutted in July 2017.
The Lusaka City Market is home to hundreds of traders who sell various merchandises, ranging from foodstuffs to clothes – salaula traders in particular.
Lest Ms Nalumango has forgotten, street vendors have gotten away with the practice because whichever political party is in power values their vote.
We recall how for example the Patriotic Front defended the street vendors on account that the Lusaka City Council should first find them alternative trading places before they could be moved.
This was the narrative especially after the destructive 2017 fire that left the hundreds of stall owners with no trading place apart from the streets.
Yet, the ruling United Party for National Development while in opposition spoke against street vending, that it would clear the streets when in office.
Their narrative changed also when they were voted into office, repeating what their predecessors said about leaving them alone in the absence of alternative trading places.
Yesterday, Ms Nalumango spoke about councils introducing by-laws that would punish those who buy from the vendors. The law is already there, only that it has not been enforced.
In Lusaka for example, it has always been a cat and mouse game between the vendors and the council.
There have been times that the council has tried remove the vendors from the streets, even confiscating their merchandise. But this has come to nothing.
There are many benefits that could come with the removal of vendors from the streets in Lusaka particularly in maintaining cleanliness.
Lusaka ranks as one of the dirtiest cities in the council because of the waste left by the vendors in the central business district.
Another benefit would be the improved flow of traffic. The vendors have taken over most streets in the capital city, trading from places where motorists are supposed to park their vehicles.
We are elated though that Local Government and Rural Development Minister Gary Nkombo has admitted that street vending is illegal, and that the government wants all vendors to return to the markets.
Having said that, we hope Mr Nkombo will apply his energy and ensure that he prods councils to rid the streets of street vendors and make them safe for all.
