Zambia: Chongwe Municipal Council has intensified their efforts to demolish the illegal structures in the district. The progress on the initiative have already started with a team of officers from the Department of Community and Social Services and Council Police.
The stakeholders of the community destroyed several makeshift structures at Sawa Sawa Market in the Meanwood Ndeke area. The demolishing initiative was taken on April 15 under the guidance of all the members of the law enforcement and administrative agencies.
Chongwe Municipal Council Public Relations Officer, Peter Sukwa spoke to the media about the importance of the initiative. He claimed that the structures were mostly used as bars and had become a source of concern to some residents in the area.
PR officer Sukwa said the council will not tolerate the setting up of illegal structures in the district by anyone. He added that the people of the community can no longer use that as an excuse of earning a living.
“We further wish to state that the local authority is mindful of the fact that, the economic environment was not conducive and everyone wants to survive, but will not allow public disorder through mushrooming of makeshift bars which harbours junkies and a source of noise pollution through playing of loud music,” Sukwa said.
He announced that the officials can take similar initiatives at different times in the district in the future to maintain peace and order by enforcing the law in the area.
Sukwa said the local authority will also increase their efforts to enforce the demolition of other illegal structures. These include illegally constructed houses and shops that are in line with the provisions of the laws of Zambia.
Currently, the authorities have destroyed two illegal structures within the community as a warning to illegal developers. He also added that more operations will be rolled out to all parts of the district.
Sukwa added that the council is not happy about demolishing any structures. However, they will continue to follow through on their duties in line with the stipulated mandate of enforcing the law.
Meanwhile, the Department of Planning has continued serving enforcement notices to owners of illegal structures in accordance with the law.