THE Kitwe City Council (KCC) has removed street vendors from undesignated trading areas following the expiry of the October 28, 2026, deadline for them to vacate the streets.

The local authority had initially set October 28 as the deadline but brought it forward to October 23 following the recording of a cholera case in the city, before later reverting to the original date.

Speaking in an interview, Thursday, council Public Relations Officer Emmanuel Lupikisha said only four vendors had so far approached the council for market space following the notice directing street vendors to relocate.

“Following the deadline for street vendors to relocate to designated markets across the district, Kitwe City Council last evening, around 22:00 hours, commenced an operation during which we removed pallets, booths and tables from various locations within the central business district. The notice issued by the council directed all vendors, hawkers and traders operating along the streets, pavements, road reserves and other undesignated areas to relocate to designated markets. This also included those who had built lockable stores on road reserves, on top of drainages and in other open spaces. Affected traders who have been conducting their businesses in undesignated areas have been reminded to engage the local authority and our market masters in the various markets to get a stand,” he said.

“However, from the time we issued the notice up to Monday, only four had gone to our market masters and requested space, and they have been relocated. That is a low turnout, and we expect that after the operation we conducted yesterday, many will come forward and request stands. We have over 1,600 stands across markets in the district, and as such, we are able to accommodate all the street vendors in the district. What is important is that we will continue with patrols to ensure that no one is allowed to trade in the CBD or undesignated areas. This will help keep our city clean”.

Meanwhile, Lupikisha said the council had also impounded about 30 vehicles during an operation on Tuesday for picking up passengers from undesignated areas.

“We impounded about 30 vehicles during a day’s operation on Tuesday for picking up passengers from undesignated areas,” added Lupikisha.