By Hon. Bowman Chilosha Lusambo
Removal of Street Vendors, a bi-partisan, progressive move
As immediate past Lusaka Province Minister, I wish to join millions of patriotic citizens that have wholeheartedly welcomed the reallocation of street vendors from the CBD of Lusaka to designated trading places.
The move is very progressive and should be seen from a bipartisan approach. I have chosen to support this move for what it will achieve with regard to mindset shifting of our citizens.
I feared that the amount of garbage that was becoming common place in the CBD was going to define who we would have become as a people, a population of dirty people. With this move, very little garbage will be produced from the CBD and the local authority will not struggle to deal with it.
From a public health perspective, this move is commendable. The majority of infectious diseases recorded at most health facilities especially in high density areas can be traced to food sold from streets.
Every government is desirous of an environment that positions itself as a key destination for foreign direct investment, I don’t know of a serious investor who will comfortably invest long term in a country whose capital city is so dirty like Lusaka.
Furthermore, most of the properties around the CBD have considerably lost value due to unsanitary conditions around the CBD. Admittedly, this decision will unsettle some people especially those directly affected, our appeal is that they need to see this issue from a broader and nationalistic standpoint.
This is good for them, this is good for the environment and this is good for Zambia.