LCC moves on illegal Kabwata Flats traders

LINDA SOKO TEMBO writes  THE Lusaka City Council (LCC) says the will remove the illegal traders who had invaded the premises of Kabwata high-rise. LCC public relations manager George Sichimba said the council would visit the area to ensure that the traders were removed because the notice period that they were given had expired. In an interview with the Sun, Mr Sichimba did not specify the exact day when the illegal traders would be removed from Kabwata high rise flats premises so that sanity could be brought back to the people in that area.   The residents complained to the Sun, that illegal traders had invaded their premises and that the entrance of the yard had been turned into a taxi rank making it difficult for them to leave the premises, as they had to wait for the taxis to move.  One of the residents at the high-rise flats only identified as Aunt Elizabeth, for fear of being victimized, complained that they were completely caged up and the beauty of the flats was no longer there. Aunt Elizabeth said the marketeers were even eating right in the yard and after eating they were using the balcony to relieve themselves thereby posing a serious health hazard to the residents. “As residents of Kabwata high rise flats we really need the authorities to remove the illegal traders off our premises. They have blocked us and they use our balconies to throw litter and as toilets, which is not healthy. “We have seen some digging holes to use as toilets and now the smell it’s really bad and this is total lawlessness,” she said.  Aunt Elizabeth said the area Member of Parliament was aware about the situation but the traders had not moved out and they were still trading.  She said Lusaka City Council (LCC) had also saved the illegal traders with letters for them to vacate the premises within seven days but the council had not made a follow up to remove them and that they heard that they were authorized to extend the market up to the flats.  Meanwhile, another resident Mwape Mulenga of Kabwata said that it was sad to see illegal traders invading the premises of the flats.   “It’s very inconveniencing to have illegal traders because of them the residents at the flats have noise pollution and the people feel imprisoned,” he said.   Mr Mulenga said every day when people wake up they could smell the feaces and urine, which was not healthy and they had children who played in the yard and that they also had petty thieves stealing from them. The Sun