The Lusaka City Council has removed 75 billboards from the streets.
Council Acting Public Relations Manager George Sichimba said this follows the exercise of regulating the placement of billboards in the city which started in January this year.
Mr. Sichimba said the exercise is meant to restore sanity in the manner billboards are erected and displayed in the city in line with the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia.
He said out of the 75 billboards removed, 35 were removed because they were illegally and wrongly mounted on street poles thereby posing a danger to motorists and pedestrians alike.
Mr Sichimba said 16 billboards were removed for being illegally erected at roundabouts when in fact Council does not issue planning permission for billboards at roundabouts for safety reasons.
He said 12 billboards were removed for obstructing traffic lights and the other 10 were removed for obstructing legally erected billboards.
“The latest billboards to be brought down were the two depicting Honourables Bowman Lusambo and Margaret Mwanakatwe along Independence Avenue at the High Court of Zambia. The two billboards were brought down for lacking identity of the advertiser and being erected without planning permission from the local authority. The Council wishes to advise advertisers that street poles and road reserves are a property of LCC and planning permission should be sought before mounting any billboards.” Mr Sichimba said.
Meanwhile, Mr Sichimba said LCC has observed with disappointment that some people are placing booths in some areas without planning permission from the Council.
He said this vice is common in the central business district (CBD) where people are taking advantage of space left by vendors to place booths.
“The individuals who are doing so should realise that what they are doing is not different from street vending. Such individuals should not cry foul when the local authority acts to demolish their illegally placed booths. LCC is in the process of re-organising the business requiring booths so that they are placed only in suitable places. This is also meant to bring sanity to the city,” Mr Sichimba said.
NDOLESHAFYEEEEEEEE
This is good you cannot have billboards everywhere. The main culprit is that corrupt crook called garry rutherford who is busy bribing his way everywhere
Jameson Chakolwa Kadansa Lungu has brought more corruption and thieving in the country.Where was the council when they were mounting those billboards…lol
Don’t lie, say the truth that its after outcry from people who think those Billboards are not necessary. We have grass thatched schools yet these so called stupid leaders are wasting resources in this manner? They have no shame and behave like people who never entered a classroom.
Good move. Billboards have surpassed trees in Zambia
All down to PF corruption and cadre power!!
Lusambo and Mwanakatwe are a disgrace devoid of any political clout. There is a saying that let your success do the talking and not mounting billboards all over Lusaka just to look relevant. This LCC is the most useless council I have ever come across. First, they have a sleeping mayor and they can’t regulate who mounts billboards? Just accept the fact that people are freaked out when they they see these ugly faces of scare scrolls pretending to be leaders. Imagine, bill gates placing his faces everywhere when everyone knows who he is and what he is capable of doing? These misfits are scared of their shadows, no wonder he was crying after they were brought down.
And the Big fooool Bowman thinks PF can erect a Lungu Billboard on my plot as Lungu is the President.
Mr Sichimba, are you UPND. How do you remove honorable Bowoman Lusambo’s bill board without His permission. Muyifuna Nchito Baba? Eh?
I need the telephone number for the Lusaka City Council.becuse in Matero of salima Rd a police man and another man have built on the road blocking 5 houses
What is going on in Zambia? It is as if every politician is building a small replica of North Korean! Sooo embarrassing.
Also on Ibex Hill road, at the turn going to Choppies/Twin Palm Mall, there are some notorious advertising boards there. aMayor, ukani kwacha!!!!!
they want more money in their pockets….lol
Kudos LCC. When you enforce the law, would-be offenders are deterred. Check Addis-Ababa road as well. Too many small obstructing billboards.
remove street lights as well
This is what we need. I WISH WE STARTED MUCH EARLIER!! EVEN MODIFICATIONS TO BUILDING AND CHANGE OF USE NEED TO BE ENFORCED!! People are cutting down trees and expanding building anyhow, SOMETIMES REPLACING GOOD STRUCTURES with UGLY ONES!! We need to regulate the practice!
Cadres are incharge…laws are already there plus PF sold out
This should also apply to immature motorists who are fond of overtaking vehicles on the left shoulders of the road. They are dangerous drivers and are damaging roads. They also like overtaking dangerously when vehicles are stuck in traffic. Check Twin Palm Road in the morning please!
There is a massive billboard being built at hybrid round about. I hope you are going to remove it as well … since you don’t permit people/companies to put up billboards at round abouts. Otherwise job well done. Keep it up!