Maravi

Masebo welcomes ban on ‘deadly' tujilijili

Masebo welcomes ban on ‘deadly' tujilijili
By Selina Nyirenda and Joseph Mwenda
Wed 18 Apr. 2012, 13:29 CAT

CHONGWE member of parliament Sylvia Masebo has commended the government's decision to ban the manufacture and sale of tujilijili. Masebo said in a telephone interview in Lusaka yesterday that the ban, which was long overdue, was a bold decision taken by the government.

"I just wanted to support the PF government in particular the Minister of Local Government and Housing for their bold decision that has been made to ban the manufacturing, the trading and the consumption of this deadly drink called tujilijili," said Masebo.

She said such a decision should be supported by every well-meaning Zambian because the banned alcoholic beverage had claimed some lives.

"A lot of our children have died, a lot of our husbands have become totally useless because of this same drink. Even a number of accidents were caused in Zambia because of this same drink. So this decision was long overdue," Masebo said.

She said the first death was recorded from her constituency two years ago where a youth died after he allegedly consumed the drink.

Masebo said the MMD government failed to deal with the matter even after appeals were made to them to seriously consider banning the sale of the alcohol from the time deaths were recorded.

She said the government was expected to make decisions that were right for the people and not to make decisions that would appease individuals for wrong reasons.

Masebo said members of parliament should ensure that the ban was being implemented in their constituencies.

"I think it is incumbent upon us the members of parliament to start disseminating the information in our constituencies. For example, in my constituency, I have already started telling the officials and even going to some of these places to tell them to stop selling because some of the them may not have heard that the law has changed," she said.

Masebo also appealed to council and state police to start confiscating the banned alcohol drinks and arrest anyone found selling them.

And Lusaka Province Liquor Traders Association chairperson Nelson Sapi says all the 900 affiliated traders would comply with the ban on tujilijili.

Reacting to the ban on the manufacturing, distribution and sale of the noxious alcohol, Sapi described the move as an indication that the government was concerned with the wellbeing of its citizens.

"We support the announcement by the minister and we are also urging all registered traders to destroy all remaining stock without delay. This appeal also extends to illegal traders and street venders. Let us support the move by government," Sapi said.

Meanwhile, Sapi called for the review of CAP 156 of the liquor trading Act which prohibits nightclubs from operating after midnight.

Sapi contended that it was unfair to restrict nightclubs to operating between 19:00 hours and 24:00 hours, saying the move would work against the campaign for Zambia's tourism abroad.

"The members feel that nightclubs should be allowed to operate at least until 04:00 hours in the morning. In other countries, it is allowed with the aim of boosting tourism because there is tourism at night and nightclub is part of tourism. All what is needed is to bring sanity to this tourism business," said Sapi.

Labels: ALCOHOL, SYLVIA MASEBO

posted by MrK @ 4:46 PM