Mtendere Traders Call for Penalties Against Cleaning Routine Defaulters
Traders at Mtendere Market in Lusaka have appealed to the Lusaka City Council (LCC) to take disciplinary action against fellow vendors who are refusing to participate in the market’s cleaning routines, a situation they say is contributing to growing filth in the area.
Speaking in an interview, trader Meraby Mwansa expressed concern over the unsanitary conditions caused by some vendors’ unwillingness to engage in scheduled cleaning activities. She noted that all traders had been provided with cleaning timetables, but some consistently shun their responsibilities.
“This area needs to be cleaned. Some people who feel they are special and refuse to participate in the cleaning routine should be punished. The place is surrounded by dirt because of such irresponsible behavior,” Ms. Mwansa said.
She emphasized the importance of LCC’s intervention, stressing that without enforcement, some traders would continue to disregard the cleanliness of the market, putting both public health and business operations at risk.
Echoing her sentiments, another trader, Rina Mungu, emphasized the significance of cleanliness in the market, which serves as the main trading hub for residents in Mtendere Township.
“This is our country, let us all strive to keep it clean. I wonder why some people are failing to follow the cleaning routines,” she said. “There should be serious penalties for those who refuse to participate in market sanitation.”
The traders called on LCC to ensure stricter enforcement of market hygiene regulations and consider punitive measures for non-compliant vendors to safeguard the health and image of the marketplace.
Efforts to get a comment from LCC Public Relations Manager Gwendolyn Mchenga proved unsuccessful by press time.
The traders hope that swift action by the council will restore order and cleanliness in Mtendere Market, which remains a vital commercial center for the township.
