Kitwe Ifiko-DC

FIKO (filth), congestion and confusion is what describes Kitwe town on the Copperbelt province says District Commissioner Elias Kamanga.

Mr Kamanga said most people in the city were conducting business in a dirty and congested environment not conducive for human habitation.

Elias Kamanga

He however said there was urgent need for the Council to consider re-planning and finding alternative ways of decongesting the trading areas.
“The state of filth in the city is not pleasing, there is dirty everywhere and the city is so congested especially at the bus stations,” he said.

Mr Kamanga said the terrible traffic congestion in the city had resulted into unnecessary road accident and confusion among traders, customers, public transport operators and other road users.
He said there was also need for the council to re-alien the bus stations that were operating within town, adding that the construction of an intercity bus terminal would curb the problem.
“We want the city to be clean and we will be having a meeting next week with all the stakeholders to find ways of decongesting the area. We should remember United Nation Tourism Assembly will be hosted by Zambia this year and we do not want the tourists to find our city in this dirty and disorganised way,” He said.

Mr Kamanga said this at his office when the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Rodgers Mwewa wanted to know why traders and public bus operators were conducting business in a confused state.

Mr Mwewa  who was accompanied by Deputy Minister  of Home Affairs Alfridah Kansembe, Copperbelt Police Commissioner Mary Tembo and other Government commission  was stop by bus operators and traders on the independence avenue  to seek audience with him.
Mr Mwewa and the entourage were on their way to Mufulira  to  visit Olympic milling management  to give  new measures that Government  had put in place to curb meali meal smuggling.

The members of the public who included Traders, Taxi and bus drivers complained to the two ministers that the local authorities in the area were not doing enough to decongest and clean up the city.