Mwango unhappy with LCC’s laxity on scavengers

Mwango unhappy with LCC’s laxity on scavengers

Lusaka, January 8, 2014—Deputy Minister in the Office of the Vice President Davies Mwango has taken a swipe at the Lusaka City Council (LCC) management for allegedly allowing people get garbage from its Chingwere dumpsite back into the community.

Mr. Mwango is not happy that there was an influx of scavengers at the dumpsite who were getting garbage and selling it in markets and on the streets.

He said this behaviour was contrary to the law and was endangering people’s lives.

Mr. Mwango was angry with the people he found at the site who included children without safety attires collecting bottles, carton boxes and expired food stuffs.

He has since directed the LCC Town Clerk Moses Mwelwa to put in place measures that will hinder scavengers from entering the site premises.

The Deputy Minister, who was accompanied by Lusaka District Commissioner Ashel Kapengele and senior government officials from the council and Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU), issued the directive shortly after touring the site.

He said he would inspect the site again to see if the directive would be adhered to.

He said only registered companies were allowed to collect garbage for recycling purposes and not any other unlicensed person.

He has further threatened that failure by the council to comply with his directive, the DMMU would take over the running of the site.

The Deputy Minister also advised the local authority to put more security officers and erect a higher wall fence so that scavengers do not have access to enter the site premises.

Mr. Mwango regretted that the practice has continued to happen for some time now and yet the local authority was there to implement the law.

And LCC Town Clerk Moses Mwelwa has pledged to adhere to the directive of the Deputy Minister before and beyond the ultimatum.

Mr. Mwelwa disclosed that his council has since purchased 140 bins that would be distributed in compounds and townships as one measure to contain refuse disposal and prevent from indiscriminate throwing of garbage.

Site superintendent Moses Mulenga, who was at pains to convince the Deputy Minister, assured Mr. Mwango that the local authority was in total control of waste disposal was concerned.

Mr. Mulenga said there is enough space for throwing garbage at the site