Luanshya markets, bus stations now safe

LUANSHYA Municipal Council has called on all associations to stop collecting daily levies from bus operators and market traders.

The council made this call after taking over the operations of all markets and bus stations in the mining to town.

This follows Government’s directive to councils across the country to take over the running of markets and bus stations from PF cadres who had invaded public facilities.

Council Public Relations Manager, Gideon Thole, said all party cadres and all individuals illegally conducting revenue collection activities in markets and bus stations should be flushed out immediately.

Mr Thole said in the past, there were isolated cases of cadres and associations collecting revenues in bus stations and markets which had also come to an end.

He also said council would engage all stakeholders and also review the operations of markets and bus stations.

“The Council managements wants to warn associations operating in bus stations and markets that it is illegal for them to be collecting any form of daily levies from bus operators and traders and those doing so should immediately stop failure to which they risk being arrested for illegally collecting levies.

“The Council is the only institution authorized by law to collect levies in markets and bus stations,” Mr Thole said.

He added that the council would come up with a sustainable approach in managing markets and bus stations apart from effectively utilizing the revenue collected from public facilities.