Maravi

Government bans tujilijili, street vending

Government bans tujilijili, street vending
By Selina Nyirenda
Mon 16 Apr. 2012, 13:30 CAT

THE government has with immediate effect banned street vending and the manufacturing, importation, sale and consumption of alcohol sachets popularly known as tujilijili in the country.

Local government minister Professor Nkandu Luo said during a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the government had also banned the distribution and stocking of tujilijili.

"The main objective of these regulations made under a Statutory Instrument which I have today signed is to prohibit the packaging of liquor popularly known as tujilijili and any other such names that they may be known in small quantities," Prof Luo said.

She said some of the characteristics of tujilijili were that they were cheap and portable, making the alcoholic beverage easy to abuse.

"You should visit the B block at Chainama Hospital and see what damage the tujilijili has done to the youths. You find an elderly person drunk and losing it," she said.

Prof Luo warned that people who would be found trading in, consuming or distributing tujilijili would be penalised.

"A person who contravenes these regulations commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred units or a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or both," she said.

Prof Luo said in an event that the licence was issued to the manufacturers of the illicit beer, they risked having their trading licence revoked.

She said any licence issued in respect of manufacturing, importation, exportation, sale and supply of the intoxicating liquor prohibited under regulation 4 shall stand revoked.

And Prof Luo said the council is today expected to remove all vendors from the streets.

She said she would soon be signing and issuing a Statutory Instrument which will legalise street vending but the exercise would be regulated by creating peace and harmony between vendors and members of the public.

"The regulations have been made as a result of vigorous consultation among various stakeholders, who include local government, government ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Home Affairs, traffic police and RTSA," said Prof Luo.

Labels: ALCOHOL, NKANDU LUO

posted by MrK @ 4:34 PM