The Lilongwe City Council (LCC) has introduced new measures to stop vendors from selling on the newly constructed Lilongwe Bridge after reports that traders had returned to the site, creating safety risks for pedestrians and motorists.
LCC chief executive officer Macloud Kadamanja said the council has deployed its municipal police division to increase patrols and keep vendors out of restricted areas.
“The council has increased patrols in hotspot areas, including the Lilongwe Bridge. We now have municipal police stationed there to ensure that no one is selling anything on the bridge,” he said.
Kadamanja added that LCC has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Kabaza Association and Road Safety Alert Foundation to support enforcement and sensitisation efforts.
“Their role is to help with sensitisation and relocating vendors and kabaza riders from prohibited areas to proper trading spaces such as markets and official motorbike ranks,” he said.
Tsoka Market chairperson Steve Magombo said some vendors flock to the bridge because they believe the high flow of people will boost sales. He said the market committee is discouraging the practice by explaining its dangers and legal implications.
“Most vendors think that if they display their clothes or other items on the bridge, people passing by will buy from them. But this is not true. People want quality products and proper trading places. Selling on the bridge is not only illegal but also unsafe,” he said.
LCC says the measures are part of a broader plan to restore order in the city and promote safe, organised trading spaces.
