I WAS NOT GOING TO CHASE AWAY STREET VENDORS LIKE MWEWA IF I WON AS MAYOR – MWILA.
Prominent Zambian lawyer and politician Simon Mulenga Mwila has criticised the Lusaka City Council’s demolition of makeshift stalls at Kamwala Flyover Bridge, saying he would have adopted a different approach had he won the Lusaka mayoral election.
Mr Mwila, who contested the Lusaka mayoral seat in the recently concluded general election and polled 32,043 votes, said the city needed to remain clean, safe and orderly without depriving ordinary citizens of opportunities to earn a living.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Mr Mwila said the council’s responsibility to enforce regulations should be accompanied by meaningful consultations, adequate notice and practical relocation measures for affected traders.
“Lusaka must be clean, safe and orderly, but it must also remain a city where our ordinary people have a fair opportunity to earn an honest living,” he said.
Mr Mwila questioned the suggestion that affected traders should simply relocate to designated markets, arguing that authorities first needed to establish whether sufficient trading spaces were available.
“Teti mwebe abantu to go muma market! Ama market yesa?” he asked, questioning the availability of alternative trading spaces.
He proposed that the council consider formalising trading activities by developing proper market infrastructure, maintaining a database of traders and providing adequate sanitation facilities.
Mr Mwila also questioned the classification of the stalls as illegal, alleging that the council had previously collected payments from some traders operating in the area.
“Are you aware that your same council has been earning money from those same ‘illegal’ stalls?” he asked.
He argued that formalising the trading spaces would create a more accountable system in which traders pay the council directly, while eliminating collections by unauthorised individuals.
“The council earns more money and our people trade peacefully. Both teams win!” he said.
Mr Mwila further expressed concern over the short notice reportedly given to traders before the demolitions, arguing that five days was insufficient for affected individuals to pursue administrative appeals or make alternative arrangements.
He also highlighted the financial challenges facing traders, including losses of goods, outstanding loans and rental obligations, saying the demolitions had come at a difficult time for many households.
“My thoughts and prayers go to everyone whose stall has been demolished in Kamwala,” he said.
Mr Mwila maintained that while maintaining cleanliness and protecting public infrastructure were important, authorities should also consider the economic circumstances of people who depend on informal trading for their livelihoods.
He called on members of the public to suggest practical solutions for affected traders, insisting that his position was not influenced by his loss in the mayoral election.
“I lost, yes I did, and life must move on. But should I be quiet because I lost? No!” he said.
Zambian Watch.