No more street vending as market construction slows in Lusaka

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LUSAKA STREET VENDORS
LUSAKA STREET VENDORS

Government is not pleased with the slow pace of construction works at some markets in Lusaka.

Local Government and Housing Minister Vincent Mwale, who visited the four construction sites yesterday ( Jan 22), told the contractors to speed up the works.

Mr. Mwale said the contractors should quickly complete the projects so displaced street vendors can be allocated trading spaces as soon as possible.

The four markets which the Minister visited are Lusaka BH, Tokyo, Agro fuel and Simon Mwewa markets.

The minister disclosed that BH market will accommodate about 1,000 traders.

And Mr. Mwale has reiterated government’s stance that street vendor will not conduct their businesses in the streets again.

He has meanwhile promised the vendors that government will not let them down because it realizes that trading is their only source of income.

The minister further assured the traders that government will keep a close eye on the construction works to ensure that projects are complete as soon as possible.

Mr. Mwale also said the government will next week issue a statutory instrument that will guide on how to keep the streets and markets clean and how people handling food are supposed to behave.

Meanwhile, site engineer for Lusaka BH market Webby Mwabu explained that the contractor delayed completing the project because of problems in procuring materials that were required.

And the contractors building other markets said they also faced some delays in receiving building materials for them to go ahead with the projects.

They have however assured the government that they will double their efforts in order to finish the projects in time.

Meanwhile, one of the marketeers spoken to expressed gratitude with the works that government is doing to relocate street vendors to designated trading places.

PF

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