Five Kitwe Traders Convicted for Illegal Liquor Sales

Kitwe City Council has secured five convictions against home shop owners for selling liquor without licences and failing to comply with council orders.

The convictions followed enforcement operations conducted between September 25 and October 3, 2026, after a sensitisation programme in which 25 premises were issued warning notices and directed to stop selling liquor illegally.

According to the council, Thomas Chansa, Davis Mwakapala, Charity Musonda and Golden Mulenga were each fined K5,000 on both counts, while Keta Chipasha was fined K4,000 on both counts.

The five were prosecuted for selling liquor without a licence, contrary to Regulation 27(a) of the Liquor Licensing Act No. 20 of 2011, and failing to comply with an order under Section 46(i) of the Act.

The council said 13 of the 25 premises complied with the warning notices, while eight did not and were taken to court. Five of those cases have been concluded, resulting in convictions, while three remain before the courts. The remaining four premises are yet to be served with court summons.

The local authority has warned liquor traders that selling alcohol without a valid licence is an offence and urged businesses to comply with licensing requirements.

Two fined over waste disposal

In a separate case, the council also secured convictions against Felistas Chewe and Agness Bwalya, both from Nkana East, for indiscriminate waste disposal.

Chewe was fined K1,000, while Bwalya was fined K500 under the Solid Waste Management Regulations Act, according to the council.

The council said it would continue conducting public sensitisation and enforcement operations to promote compliance with the law, protect public health and maintain standards across Kitwe.