NDOLA CITY COUNCIL ALLEGEDLY FAILS TO FIND TRADING SPACE FOR STREET VENDORS RECENTLY REMOVED FROM THE CBD
By Nonhlanhla Phuti
The Association of Traders and Marketeers of Zambia has accused the Ndola City Council of failing to secure trading space for traders who were trading in the Central Business District of Ndola, despite assurances that the district had over 2,000 trading spaces available in different markets across the district.
In an interview with Phoenix News, association President Fredrick Tembo disclosed that following the removal of street vendors from the Ndola Central Business District last week, none of his members who were removed from the streets have been allocated trading space in any of the markets.
Mr. Tembo explains that according to a survey conducted by the association, the over 2,000 trading spaces that were alleged to be available do not exist and that most markets in Lubuto and Mushilli among other areas are dilapidated and not safe for the traders to occupy.
He has wondered why council went ahead to conduct the mop exercise knowing fully well that they did not have conducive alternative trading spaces and has since called on the Ministry of Local Government to provide the Ndola traders with where they will be accommodated before the end of this week.
And a check by Phoenix at Chifubu, Pamodzi and Masala markets found the markets that seemed to be fully occupied had not yet allocated any trading spaces to new traders.
Meanwhile, Ndola City Council Public Relations Manager Rebecca Mushota says the local authority will only be in a position to reveal how many traders have been allocated trading space at the end of week.
PHOENIX NEWS