By Derrick Silimina
Following the recent relocation of street vendors from Lusaka’s Central Business District (CBD), the government has taken a swipe at business and property owners in the city centre to beautify their premises.
Recently, Local Government and Rural Development Minister Gary Nkombo hinted that since shop owners have been given their right of way to trade in sanity, a Statutory Instrument (SI) will soon be enforced to compel shop owners to paint their shops, pave and green the frontage of their business premises.
“It has become urgently necessary to ensure that your immediate external business environment be properly attended to,” Nkombo stated in a letter addressed to all property and business owners in Lusaka’s CBD.
Nkombo noted that with immediate effect from 31 August 2023, improvements in the general aesthetics be made through painting the exterior of the shops and all business premises, placing refuse bins that allows for easy separation of waste at all entrances and exits as well as to remove all displays in the pathways and pavements in order to aid free movements of citizens.
In this context, Decotex paints limited has since committed to offer a 20 percent discount on all exterior paints.
“We seek your cooperation and all the above requirements must be met by 31 August 2023,” Nkombo stressed, adding that the Town Clerk at Lusaka City Council is directed that the instruction has to be complied without fail.
