ROAN PF member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili has taken down an emotive Facebook posting he made last evening condemning the PF for chasing vendors from the streets of Kitwe.

Yesterday January 19, 2017, Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe ordered the removal of vendors, saying they would only be allowed along Chisokone Avenue; the road leading to Chisokone Market. Kang’ombe promised that vendors without shops at Chisokone would be provided with appropriate vending sites soon.

But in a Facebook posting yesterday, Kambwili noted that the Patriotic Front was departing from campaign promises.

“The elite call it dirt because they can afford to shop in Shoprite, the poor call it business because that is their only source of livelihood. What happens to these men and women who seek to send their children to schools and provide for their families?” Kambwili, who is the immediate past former information minister and chief government spokesperson asked. “Having heavily campaigned in the last general election, I reiterated the fact that the Patriotic Front is a pro poor party and we would not remove street vendors from the streets, until we provide an enabling environment for them to thrive.”

Kambwili charged that now was not a good time for “towns to compete on being the cleanest” because the country’s economy was under enormous stress.

“This not time for towns to compete on which is the cleanest, it is time to put the people first. My heart bleeds for the street vendors and I wish I could help. Lest we forget that unemployment is high and this is a way for people making ends meet. Let us have a human heart when making life changing decisions, how can we refer to human beings selling their products as dirt? The sad case of street vendors, dirt in others eyes, livelihood in their own eyes. Where is the fairness?” asked Kambwili.

However, Kambwili has taken down the posting for unknown reasons. Kambwili is currently awaiting the decision of the PF central committee after his disciplinary hearing last week. Kambwili was charged with gross indiscipline after he accused Luanshya Mayor Nathan Chanda of being a wizard after his life.