VENDORS CONTINUE DEFYING GOVT DIRECTIVE TO MOVE FROM STREETS

By OLIVER SAMBOKO
STREET vendors trading in the Lusaka central business district have defied Government directive to move away from the street and occupy available trading space at Soweto and Simon Mwewa Lane markets.
Last week, Local Government and Rural Development Minister Garry Nkombo directed all street vendors to vacate the streets and relocate to designated trading places.
A check by the Daily Nation in the city centre found vendors going about their usual business with those spoken to challenging Government to find them other means of income before removing them from the streets.
Meanwhile, some vendors expressed disappointment at the manner in which the new dawn government is handling the issue and accused Mr Nkombo of making decisions aimed at decampaigning the ruling party and President Hakainde Hichilema.
The vendors said it’s heartless and unreasonable for the new dawn government to even start thinking of removing them from the streets, when the same people during campaigns promised to better the living standards of the people once in office.
And speaking on behalf of other vendors, Ms Mercy Banda said no one will move from the streets because Soweto and Simon Mwewa Lane Markets cannot accommodate everyone.
Ms Banda said it’s sad that the UPND have already started forgetting that they are not masters but the servants of the people.