‘NO COOKING AT BUS STATION’

RESTAURANT owners at Lusaka’s Kulima Tower Bus Station have been directed to stop cooking from stalls and instead bring readily prepared food from their homes for resale, Independence Ward 14 councillor George Daka has disclosed.

Mr Daka explained that the cooking ban was aimed at avoiding the fire outbreaks like the one that occurred on Tuesday night after a restaurant owner reportedly left a Burning brazier in the stall overnight. “I wanted to ban the restaurants from operating at the station but after listen to their concerns, we resolved that they instead just stop cooking from there but bring already cooked food from their homes,” he said.

Mr Daka told the Daily Nation that his office would closely supervise the operations of the restaurants at markets and bus stops to avoid a repeat of what happened on Tuesday night. He said that lack of supervision was also a major contributing factor to the fire outbreaks that have lately become common in the city

He also disclosed that the restaurants would also not be allowed to operate after 20:00 hours.

He described as unfortunate the continued loss of property by traders through cases of mere negligence. He also said the ban applies to restaurants at Chachacha market at the town centre so that sanity can be returned in public places such as markets.

Mr Daka however said he had no problem with traders at Chachacha market because they were complaint by the roles that had been set by the local authority and impressed that illicit activities longer happening.

Several newly constructed stalls on Tuesday night were gutted after an unnamed restaurant owner allegedly left a brazier unattended overnight in the stall. The fire was only stopped spreading to entire bus station by the Lusaka City Council Fire Brigade which rushed to the area put it out. .And LCC has since warned traders in markets, and others trading places, against leaving fires unattended to. were no