Blantyre City Council wants vendors out of streets

Blantyre City Council (BCC) wants vendors to relocate to designated markets which have intensified measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In a press statement released yesterday BCC mayor Wild Ndipo has issued the directive among many preventive measures the council has undertaken following President Peter Mutharika’s declaration of a State of Disaster last Friday.

Reads part of the statement: “BCC has put in place deliberate measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the city to complement the pronouncement [by Mutharika].

“So far the council has placed water buckets mixed with chlorine in strategic points in the 34 markets within the city with the belief that market users will make good use of the facilities.”

BCC appeals to butcheries, food stalls and hawkers to support the initiatives by providing hand-washing utensils for use by their customers.

In the same vein, the council has ordered worshipping houses, shops and offices to provide hand-washing facilities.

“Similarly, washing facilities should be provided by organisers for public gatherings such as funerals, weddings among others,” says the statement.

BCC also wants public transport operators and users to observe seating capacities so that there is social space.

Spot checks yesterday in the city indicated that vendors were still selling their merchandise on streets and minibuses were taking four passengers on a seat instead of the prescribed three.

In contrast, some shops and offices are adhering to the measures by placing hand-washing facilities at their entrances. 

The council has since declared a month for a Make Your Environment Coronavirus Free Campaign and has promised to use the law to enforce the measures on non-compliant residents.