DODIA WARNS OF RISKS IN STREET VENDOR REMOVAL

DODIA WARNS OF RISKS IN STREET VENDOR REMOVAL

Renowned economist Yusuf Dodia has cautioned Government and local authorities against removing street vendors without first providing adequate alternative trading spaces and livelihood opportunities.

Speaking on Conversations with Hope on Capital FM, Mr Dodia questioned whether the ongoing street-vending clearance exercise was confined to Lusaka or being implemented in other cities such as Ndola and Kitwe.

Mr Dodia said although clearing streets was important, authorities needed a comprehensive strategy to accommodate affected traders.

“If you are saying that street vendors must be removed from the streets, what is the alternative for them?” Mr Dodia asked.

He challenged suggestions that vendors could simply move into existing markets, arguing that available spaces were insufficient to accommodate the large number of traders previously operating on the streets.

“It would therefore have been more prudent and wiser to prepare adequate alternative trading spaces before removing people from the streets,” he said.

Mr Dodia warned that removing vendors’ sources of income without alternatives could have serious social consequences, particularly because many traders were supporting families.

“These are people who are feeding families. They need to eat every day,” he said.

He further cautioned that some affected young people could resort to crime if they were left without means of survival.

“One of the immediate risks is an increase in crime,” Mr Dodia said.

He also warned of possible civil unrest if people became desperate, saying similar situations had occurred in other countries.

“We could see more housebreakings, theft of property, street robberies and break-ins at business premises,” he stated.

Mr Dodia, however, said properly structured markets could provide a sustainable solution by grouping traders according to the products they sold.

“That is the idea behind creating clusters,” he said.

He explained that specialised markets could attract customers deliberately seeking particular products, making relocation more sustainable.

“If I want to buy salaula, for example, I know that I need to go to the salaula market,” Mr Dodia said.

He questioned how long the current clearance would last, noting that vendors had historically returned to the streets after previous removal exercises, stressing.