COUNCIL DEFENDS CRACK DOWN ON ILLEGAL VENDORS

CHIPATA City Council (CCC) has defended its decision to crackdown on illegal vendors, saying it is mandated to ensure citizens living within its jurisdiction complied with the law.

CCC head of public relations, Kameko Manda told the daily nation yesterday following a surprise crack down on illegal venders in Chipata that by trading without a licence the traders were violating Statutory Instrument (SI) 10 of 201 which demands one to have a valid licence from the municipality as provided by law.

Ms Manda said the council’s action was legal and therefore the council did not violate anyone’s basic human rights.

She said the action was a preventative measure in the interest of the people’s health and cleanliness of the city to prevent diseases outbreaks.

On trading agro products, Ms Manda said, “Chipata as a city has all the right to benefit fairly from its fair share of available resources, skills and expertise but for this to happen we all need to observe the law. Without the law we are unable to bring about development as administrators.”

She said order was necessary for the city council to facilitate for a more cost effective measure in establishing systematic development that address people’s needs without discrimination. She added that Chipata had plans to establish modern facilities that allowed the council and other utility service providers operate to cope with future expansion projects.

Ms Manda noted that random operations would continue against illegal ending until sanity and compliance to the law prevailed in the city.

“We are going to continue engaging the state police to help us conduct routine operations until such a time we are assured on maximum compliance.

“It would make a difference when the masses appreciate the fact that it is their health which is at risk if unlicenced vendors were running the market,” explained Ms Manda.

Adding, “As an institution governed by law, it is a requirement that everything we are doing is preserved and directed by law. And from that view point we are promoting the need to observe law and what it provides for the city to succeed in creating developmental projects and opportunities that address people’s needs.”