The Lusaka City Council (LCC) has called on traders located in the Central Business District (CBD) to comply with the waste management companies contracted to collect garbage.
Lusaka City Council Public Relations Manager Chola Mwamba noted in a press statement issued to Lusaka Times that the conditions laid down by the Local Authority to perform its mandate of solid waste management within the CBD done through the contracted companies should be followed by all the traders.
Ms Mwamba added that the Local Authority will not entertain anyone trying to frustrate the works that the waste collection companies are performing because that is the current practice that is giving the Local Authority results to bridge up Council deficiency in the management of solid waste that is generated in the CBD.
“We have in total of 30 zones of vendors in the CBD that is being serviced and managed by the solid waste companies contracted by the Council called Clean Friends(CF),” Ms Mwamba said
She stated that this is done in the efforts to eliminate solid waste generated by vendors which is disposed on the islands of the roads in the CBD, which has lately been accumulating and looking unsightly.
“It is important for the public to know that the City of Lusaka has been demarcated in 24 zones in the conventional areas and we have offered franchise contractors to collect waste as a way of making our operations easy, and these contractors are called waste managers by law stipulated by the Solid Waste Regulation and Management Act no.20 of 2018,” she explained
Ms Mwamba cited that the named contractors are the only ones who are authorised together with the solid waste unit of the Council to collect solid waste and dispose it at the final disposal site where they pay tipping fees.
“Therefore, the Local Authority would like to inform the public that any other company not contracted through this process and is collecting waste, is illegal and can suffer legal implications,” she stated
“Only the contracted companies by Council are by law allowed to collect polluter pay fee from all waste generators in their zones,” she added
She alluded that it is in this respect that ‘Clean Friends’ is allowed to collect polluter pay fees from the vendors who generate waste so that they can manage the same waste.
Ms Mwamba explained that the Council does not levy the vendors, because vending is illegal and they can not levy an illegal business, because it may be perceived as if they have legalised it, by charging a levy, however, the Council only charges a polluter pay fee, which is meant for cleaning and collection of solid waste the vendors generate.
She further explained that the polluter pay fee is done by everyone who generates waste as a response to the law to facilitate solid waste management.
“We also wish to clarify that no individual from bus stations and markets is allowed to collect the polluter pay fee from the vendors,” she said
Ms Mwamba has therefore appealed to the vendors operating in the CBD to cooperate with the undermentioned franchise contractors so that the waste they generate can be properly managed.
Almost all those vendors have been to primary school………..
It makes sense to introduce an environmental awareness subject at primary school to address among other things waiste disposal and recycling…….
Within the first year of such lessons , you will notice a difference……….
useless council , useless ministry for environment and useless ZEMA.
Why do I say so? Look at the piling of waste under the ZESCO pilons along TOKYO WAY? Look at the waste along Mosiotunya road near Chris Corner. Look at the waste being dumped on ZNBC LAND Iin Bauleni? Did you know that your registrerd contractctors are the ones who go to dump under the Zesco pylons and at Bauleni ZNBC land? Incidentally even some of the council employees living in Chalala go to dump the waste in the same area. Who are you cheating? You have no capacity to deal with problem …..just shut up please
Waste disposal is supposed to be wholesome. You dont just clean up one area, a street in the CBD and say we have put in place waste management conditions.
Waste disposal is supposed to be wholesome. You dont just clean up one area, a street in the CBD and say we have put in place waste management conditions.
I think street vending is here to stay. So let’s legalize it and start getting a fee. Also freedom way should be closed for moto vehicles to allow venders and cyclist to conduct business in a free atmosphere…also the council should provide toilets and washrooms at Noman lands
These companies you have contracted are overcharging for garbage collection and are making huge profits because they know they have the monopoly and can charge what they like and the consumer will have no choice but to pay. Better you open it up to whoever is interested so that there are more players on the market which will bring competition and lower charges. Also council must put skips in place for those that can not afford to pay so at least they will be throwing their garbage in those skips.