By Esther Chirwa
The Solwezi Fast Track Court has charged and fined four businessmen of Kyawama area for vending.
The quartet is charged for violating provisions of the Statutory Instrument No, 12 of 2018 The Local Government (Street Vending and Nuisances) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations 2018 of the Laws of Zambia by trading in unauthorised places.
As means of imposing punishment to individuals disregarding provisions of the Local Government Act No. 2 of 2020 and other pieces of Legislation after repeated sensitisations and warnings, Solwezi Municipal Council has enhanced enforcement of the Law to ensure that most public nuisances and street vending offences are prosecuted through the Courts.
Facts before the courts are that Richard Nvula, 38, Joseph Mwenya, 27, Chimanga Lesa 48, Teddy Tsembe 29 and Michael Sichilima 38, all of Kyawama displayed sold second hand clothes (Salaula) at the corner of Rodwel Mwepu Secondary School and Kyawama Market junction, which is an undesignated place for trading.
After several warnings which proved futile, the suspects were apprehended and taken to court where Nvula, Mwenya, Chimanga and Tsembe pleaded guilty to the charge and were fined not more K750.00 each.
While Sichilima denied the charge eventually matter adjourned for presentation of facts.
Solwezi Municipal Council recently conducted an exercise between April 18-23, 2020 to demolish makeshift structures at Kyawama Market in an effort to decongest the market following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Solwezi district.
After the exercise, traders were allocated stands and those that could not be placed within the market were allocated stands in the other six markets in the district as Kyawama market was re-planned to ensure required health guidelines of one (1) meter apart between traders were observed.
Nonetheless, it has been observed that some traders have continued trading in unauthorised places around Kyawama despite advice and warnings not to do so.
The Local Authority will however not relent in its quest to ensure all traders conduct their businesses in designated places. All would be offenders are warned against trading in undesignated places as this is illegal and subject to the law being applied accordingly.
