Copperbelt’s Chililabombwe Mayor, Lucky Sichone, cautioned against politicising the ongoing clearing of street vendors from town centres countrywide.
Vendors have been removed from the Central Business District in Lusaka and Ndola, with Local Government Minister Garry Nkombo stating that the exercise is being extended to all districts.
Mr. Sichone stated that the ongoing control of street vending countrywide is a positive move that must be respected and supported.
“If we don’t address street vending, what kind of country will we have in the next five to ten years? We need to gradually address the issue of street vending. It is not a political matter. This is something everyone has to work on. It is good for our country and beneficial for everyone. So, we need to consider that perspective rather than a political one,” he said.
“We have heard people saying that the 2026 general elections are approaching. They threaten that you will lose the elections. It is not about losing elections. It is about doing the right thing for the people now. If we start focusing on elections, we might end up making wrong decisions just to win elections,” Mr. Sichone said.
He mentioned that the Chililabombwe council is engaging with street vendors in the border town in a cordial manner, stressing the importance of trading in designated areas.
“We are engaging with our street vendors. We are trying to approach this tactfully without using force. We are aware that these are our residents; they are the people who voted for this government. Therefore, we cannot impose this on them, but they need to understand the reasons behind our request for them to return to the markets. It will facilitate the cleanliness of our town, and the council will be better able to collect revenue when our traders operate within the markets,” Mr. Sichone concluded.
It’s already political. If this mayor is honest she/he will admit that the Upnd ” sympathized” with the street vendors during the run up to elections. You were partners and now that you got what you wanted you have thrown them under the bus.
Upnd did the same with lgbt community. They implicitly made it look like they will respect human rights for all when elected. We gays voted for them but now because of trying to please religious ignorant sections of society, they are not legalising lgbt rights
1 Corinthians 6:9,10
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
The one that brought you bible has no problem with lgbt. Yet you Continue to blindly use the same religion to defend your insecurity and ignorance. Only insecure little men fear gays.
People are talking about important things but you bringing rubbish things of gay are you not ashamed to even advocate for this kind of a thing
Are you ashamed of loving who you love? Your answer to that question is my answer too.