LUSAKA CITY COUNCIL BANS STREET VENDING IN CBD
The Lusaka City Council has banned street vending in the Central Business District (CBD) effective today 1st April 2020.
According to a media statement released yesterday and signed by Lusaka Mayor Miles Sampa, all vendors are instructed to go and trade from established markets around the city.
Below is the full statement:
MEDIA STATEMENT

DON’T TURN UP FOR STREET VENDING TOMORROW

Lusaka, Tuesday 31st March, 2020

Lusaka City Council (LCC) will with effect from tomorrow, Wednesday, 1st April 2020, not allow street vending in the Central Business District (CBD) in the quest to fight the spread of Coronavirus in the city.

This includes Simon Mwewa Lane and Lumumba filter Lane which were late last year designated for street vending.

All street vendors have been requested not to turn up in the streets tomorrow but instead go back to established markets dotted around the city where they can access hand washing facilities which the Council has provided and also observe social distancing.
Our records indicate that all markets in the City have vacant stands or trading spaces to accommodate applicants from the street vendors.

The decision comes in the wake of increasing number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus in the country which stands at 36 and also in line with Statutory Instruments No. 21 and 22 of 2020, which, among other things has restricted mass public gatherings.

The Council has observed that it is practically difficult to provide hand washing facilities in the streets and make vendors observe social distancing of at least one metre apart.

The fight against the spread of Coronavirus needs a wholistic approach if it is to be won.

LCC together with its stakeholders are doing everything possible within their means to provide hand washing facilities, conduct sensitisations and make marketeers observe social distancing but the same can not be done to street vendors.

This clearly shows that some residents of the city are not being reached in terms of measures put in place by Government to fight the spread of Coronavirus pandemic.

To this end, LCC has procured 300 litre capacity hand washing facilities to be placed in markets and bus stations and also enough chemicals to disinfect the establishments.

Vending, is also humpering LCC’s efforts to keep the city clean thereby risking the lives of all residents.

The Council hopes that vendors and other stakeholders such vendors’ associations will support the move to avoid the spread of Coronavirus.

Vendors who will not abide by the directive will be met with the full force of the combined team of state and council police officers.

Issued by:
Miles Bwalya Sampa
MAYOR OF LUSAKA