TRADERS NOT ALLOWED TO SLEEP IN MARKETS – KCC

By Kalobwe Bwalya

THE Kitwe City Council (KCC) has said no trader will be allowed to sleep in markets and that no market association or committee is allowed to establish offices in the market.

Kitwe Town Clerk Patrick Kambita further warned that no person was allowed to collect any revenue from traders apart from the appointed revenue collectors from the local authority.

He also stated that no individual or association should act on behalf of the local authority in any matter to do with traders in markets unless the council engaged them in writing.

He said the guidance had come in following the reports that some people were sleeping in the market and that he had been receiving several reports from the general public that some people were collecting the revenue without the authority from the council.

He said it was criminal for someone to be impersonating as an officer and warned that anyone found wanting would be arrested and would face the law accordingly.

He has since called on all marketeers and associations to engage the local authority whenever there were issues pertaining to their welfare in the markets.

The Town Clerk reminded all marketeers and other stakeholders that the Council had a mandate as guided by the Markets and Bus Station Act of 2007 to formulate policies for maintenance and managing all markets within the vicinity of the particular local authority.

 “The council provides services such as revenue collection, water and sanitation, security, electricity and refuse collection among other functions. Therefore, the authority will not allow any market or trader to be sleeping in markets or collecting money from the traders as it is against the law,” Mr. Kambita said.