COUNCIL ACTS TO STOP TRADING AT GRAVEYARDS
CREATION of a Task Force is on the cards to try and help the Lusaka City Council in the management of illegal sale of alcohol and other stuffs at public graveyards, says Kabulonga Ward 16 councillor Patrick Mwansa.
Mr Mwansa said the problem of illegal markets at graveyards was a serious one which required special attention from the local authorities and the residents of Lusaka in general.
He said the problem of the sale of alcohol and other food stuffs at the graveyards was something that required a multi- sectoral approach with particular attention to increase capacity for law enforcement agencies.
“It is seemingly becoming something that we are failing to handle as a local authority, but going forward, we have had discussions and we have asked the Town Clerk to try and come up with something like a Task Force only looking at those ac tivities in these places,” he aid
He explained that the situation was so bad but that it also had a lot to do with the people’s mindset with regards to the solemnity of a place where they chose to do business.
Mr Mwansa explained that the council was aware of the different communities involved in the illegal businesses at the graveyard and that the matter had was already scheduled to come up with strategies of how to best handle the problem.
And Kapwepwe ward councillor Salubusa, who is also chairperson for the public health committee at LCC explained that the council was already in check with the problem of illegal businesses at the local authority.
He said specifically, his ward already got a go ahead to engage 150 people to clean up Chunga Cemetery in Matero, as well as provide some form of security on behalf of the council.
He said this was necessitated by the full council meeting ap proval to support the ban of open sale of food, illegal sale of alcohol at the graveyard and total ban of a market at the graveyard.
“Very soon as a public health committee of the LCC, we will be engaging the councillors who are responsible for the cemeteries to see how we can bring back sanity.
“We have agreed that those people who are selling at the graveyard are not only doing what is not in order, but also in terms of cleanliness, we have banned those selling food there,” he said.
He further explained that it was not right to turn the graveyards into a bars or taverns at the graveyard, but a comprehensive report should soon be issued on the matter. “We have invited key stakeholders for meetings to ensure that the law is enforced and respected. “Mind you, you cannot sale alcohol without a licence, and so it does not only focus on graveyards, but other law breakers in the field,” he said.