Maravi

It’s irresponsible for govt to give title of any market to an association - mayor

It’s irresponsible for govt to give title of any market to an association - mayor
By Speedwell Mupuchi in Kitwe
Fri 24 Dec. 2010, 04:40 CAT

IT will be a serious mark of irresponsibility for the government to give a title deed for any market in Zambia to an association, says Kitwe Mayor Elias Kamanga.

Kamanga’s remarks come in the wake of Zambia National Marketeers Association (ZANAMA) chairman general Elvis Nkandu’s plea to Vice-President George Kunda who on Monday officiated at their convention that the government should deliver its promise of a title deed for Chisokone Market.

In an interview, Kamanga said according to the current law, markets and bus stations were public amenities owned by the people through elected representatives.

He said people expected political will from the government and Vice-President Kunda to implement the markets and bus stations Act.

“We believe Honorable George Kunda as Vice-President and Minister of Justice was an architect of this particular law. We are lost when we start witnessing the same government that came up with the law choosing to totally disregard it,” said Kamanga.

President Rupiah Banda last year promised ZANAMA that his government would consider giving it a title deed for Chisokone Market.

Kamanga also dismissed as misplaced complaints by Nkandu that his association was being frustrated by PF-run councils.

“Actually it’s associations like ZANAMA that have been frustrating and interfering with legally mandated institutions like authorities from implementing the law as established,” said Kamanga.

“According to the local government Act Cap 281 of the laws of Zambia and the markets and bus stations Act number 7 of 2007, the management of markets and bus stations in the entire country is placed in the hands of local authorities. I wonder what interference Nkandu is accusing the council of.”

Kamanga said councils were legally mandated to collect levies from traders in a market.

He said it was amazing for Vice-President Kunda to refer to local authorities on the Copperbelt as Patriotic Front councils when all their budgets were approved and sanctioned by the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.

He said the amount of energy used to attack the PF over councils it dominates should be spared to repair badly damaged roads on the Copperbelt, particularly Chibuluma, Mindolo and Central streets which were ring roads for Kitwe.

“It won’t help this country trying to apportion blame on the poor state of affairs in the country on political parties holding majorities in these regions. The local government system has collapsed and we should be doing together to revamp the local government system rather than blame Sata who is not in control of government coffers,” he said.

Kamanga said Zambia was lowest in the Commonwealth in terms of budgetary support to local government.

Kamanga said the government should re-look its budgetary support to councils before accusing them of failing to perform their functions.

Labels: ELIAS KAMANGA, GEORGE KUNDA, LOCAL MARKETS, MARKETEERS, ZANAMA

posted by MrK @ 9:30 AM