Lusaka Council begins five-phase exercise to move roadside traders into markets

Lusaka City Council has begun a five-phase exercise to move traders operating along roadsides into designated market spaces, starting with Simon Mwewa Lane Market.

Mayor-elect Chitambala Mwewa inspected the market on Wednesday to assess available spaces for traders currently operating along the road from the corner of Kalusha Bwalya Road through Simon Mwewa Lane to Chibolya Basic School.

Mr Mwewa said roadside trading in the area was contributing to traffic congestion and creating safety risks for both traders and motorists.

He said the affected traders would first be registered through the Office of the Market Master before being moved into available spaces within the market.

“This is phase one of the exercise aimed at bringing order and sanity to the trading area,” Mr Mwewa said.

The mayor-elect said the exercise would be rolled out in five phases and extended to other parts of the Central Business District and the wider city.

Following the inspection, Mr Mwewa met council officials to discuss the implementation plan for the relocation programme.

He also said traders moved into authorised trading spaces would be required to pay market levies through the council’s electronic payment system.

According to the council, the electronic system is intended to improve accountability, transparency and efficiency in the collection of market levies.

The council says the broader exercise is aimed at creating safer and more orderly trading spaces while reducing congestion in areas where traders currently occupy roads.