Don’t Use UPND to Block Clean-up

“We would like to make it clear as a party that those people who are masquerading as members of our party, to the extent of demonstrating and putting on regalia, are not our members,” Mr Imenda said.

He said belonging to the UPND was based on accepting the principles and ideals of the party, and not simply wearing party colours.

“Getting in a red T-shirt doesn’t make you UPND. It is the acceptance of the principles and ideals of the party that makes you UPND,” he said.

Mr Imenda said the UPND supported the Lusaka City Council’s efforts to restore cleanliness and order in the CBD.

“Our stand is that we stand by the intentions and plans of the council that Lusaka must be seen to be a clean city,” Mr Imenda said.

He said the party could not remain silent while the CBD, particularly Cairo Road, Cha Cha Cha Road and Freedom Way, continued to experience congestion, littering and unregulated trading.

“We are very clear that we will not allow this situation to continue,” Mr Imenda said.

Mr Imenda said the condition of the CBD was also a public health concern, particularly with the onset of the rainy season.

He said blocked drainage systems and accumulated waste could create conditions that contribute to the spread of diseases and pests, including cholera, mosquitoes and flies.

“We all know the health risks involved in a dirty city,” Mr Imenda said.

He questioned why Zambians should travel to countries such as Rwanda or South Africa to see clean cities when Lusaka could achieve similar standards through collective responsibility.

Mr Imenda said the condition of the CBD could also affect Lusaka’s image among investors and visitors.

He said investors coming from Europe, Asia, America and other parts of the world could be discouraged if they encountered an environment characterised by congestion, waste and disorder.

“Who would love to invest in such an environment?” he asked.

Mr Imenda said a clean and organised CBD was important for businesses, residents and visitors, arguing that traders needed an environment where customers could move freely and businesses could operate without unnecessary obstruction.

He said the situation was also affecting legitimate traders and businesses operating from council markets and designated trading spaces.

According to Mr Imenda, the council had identified more than 14,000 abandoned or available trading stands, compared with an estimated 8,000 street vendors.

He said some traders had abandoned their market stands and moved onto the streets, while others were allegedly subletting their allocated spaces.

“If we have 14,000 abandoned stands when we only have about 8,000 street vendors, then there is no reason whatsoever for people to be trading in the streets,” Mr Imenda said.

He said traders without stands could approach the council for available spaces instead of conducting business on the streets.

Mr Imenda stressed that the party was not advocating for people to lose their livelihoods, but wanted traders to operate from designated places where they could conduct business legally and contribute to council revenue.

“Go back to the markets and trade in the markets so that you are able to contribute to the council for the benefit of the city,” he said.

He said the council and other stakeholders had identified additional areas that could accommodate traders and reduce pressure on the CBD.

Mr Imenda cited open spaces around Flash Bus Station and the Railway area as places that could provide opportunities for organised trading without blocking major roads and pedestrian routes.

He also criticised bus drivers who abandon designated stations and park along major roads while looking for passengers.

He called on the Zambia Police and council police to enforce designated parking and loading arrangements to ease congestion.

Mr Imenda said enforcement against street trading should continue during both daytime and nighttime because some vendors returned after council officers had left.

He said previous attempts to clear the streets had sometimes failed because enforcement was not sustained.

Mr Imenda said the council therefore needed a consistent approach that combined enforcement with the availability of alternative trading spaces.

He also called for adequate rubbish bins and waste-disposal points in the CBD, saying cleanliness required cooperation between the council, traders, businesses, motorists and residents.

He said people were more likely to dispose of waste responsibly when appropriate disposal facilities were readily available.

Mr Imenda recalled the historical distinction between Cairo Road, which he said was regarded as a “first-class” trading area, and Kamwala, which was treated as a second-class area during colonial times.

He said independence had given Zambians the freedom to enjoy all parts of Lusaka equally, but that freedom came with a responsibility to maintain the city.

“We fought for independence to make sure that we also enjoy the benefits of being in Cairo Road freely without anyone stopping us to ask us why what we want is in a first-class area,” he said.

Mr Imenda urged residents not to encourage illegal street trading by buying goods from traders operating on the streets.

He said the demand created by customers was one of the factors that kept street trading going.

“If we leave this press conference and the next thing you see is one of us buying from the same people, are we being fair to ourselves, the city and the country?” Mr Imenda asked.

Mr Imenda said the UPND wanted Lusaka to become a city that Zambians could be proud of and that visitors from around the world could admire.

He also acknowledged efforts by the incoming Lusaka mayor to promote cleanliness, but alleged that some people within the council system were undermining those efforts.

Mr Imenda warned that the UPND would not accept conduct that undermined efforts to restore cleanliness and order in the city.

He said maintaining a clean CBD would require more than enforcement and would depend on the willingness of authorities, businesses, traders and residents to work within the same rules.

The comments come as Lusaka City Council prepares to enforce its directive against street vending from Saturday, October 3.

The council has said more than 14,000 trading spaces across 28 markets are available to accommodate more than 8,000 street vendors, while a joint operation involving council officers and the Zambia Police is expected to enforce the directive.

The council has said the operation is aimed at restoring order, public health, safety and sanitation in the city.

Street vendors, however, have protested the planned removal, with some saying they depend on street trading for their livelihoods and questioning where they would go after being removed.

The disagreement leaves the council facing the challenge of enforcing trading regulations while addressing the economic realities of people who depend on street vending to support their families.

For the vendors, the planned operation is about more than clearing streets; it also raises questions about where they will trade and earn an income once they are removed from areas where they currently find customers.

For the council and the UPND, Mr Imenda says restoring order, cleanliness and the proper use of public spaces is necessary if Lusaka is to develop into a city capable of supporting businesses, attracting investment and serving its residents.