Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, Nicholas Phiri has issued a 7-day ultimatum to the illegal traders trading on top of the drainage system outside Lumumba Bus Station in Lusaka.

Mr Phiri added that the traders have been resisting being relocated to legal trading spaces, thereby slowing down council efforts of unblocking the sewer clogged drainage system.

He added that a contractor has been engaged to address the problem of flooding in the Central Business District (CBD) but has not been able to proceed to Lumumba area due to the presence of people on the site.

“The council did what the law provides, which is to serve notifications to the business owners here that they need to vacate to facilitate the works but people have not moved,” said Mr Phiri.

And Chinika Ward 11 Councilor Masauso Goma, said that government has a plan to relocate the 155 traders to a place designated by the council, however, the place owner has not been complying.

Mr Goma added that a 14 days’ notice was earlier delivered and it too elapsed without positive results