HAAMAUNDU WARNS KAMWALA TRADERS

MINISTRY of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Maambo Hamaundu has called on traders to take responsibility and stop operating in places deemed illegal.

Asked whether the Government was considering relocating traders operating near the rail line in Kamwala trading area to permanent structures, Mr Haamaundu said every vendor operating in an area which was considered illegal should not wait for the local authorities to move them out.

“Anyone who is operating in a place which is considered illegal should not even wait to be moved. We owe it to ourselves to do the correct thing. This is a challenge that we have as a society. We always wait for the council or for the police to come and tell us or “harass” before we stop doing what is illegal even when we know that what we are doing is wrong,” Mr. Hamaundu said.

He said the land in question belonged to the Zambia Railways, noting that he was sure that the firm would be making pronouncements in terms of reclaiming their place because there must be a safety zone which was to be left free so that there were no challenges in case of derailments.

The Permanent Secretary said if the local authorities were called upon to act, it would do so as it had done before for as long as it was within the law.

“The people trading within the rail line know that they are a danger to themselves because if there is a derailment there, a number of people will be killed. So, we don’t need to constantly remind people to do the right thing. People should make it their priority to be responsible and do what is correct,” he said.