Street vending is one of the signs of the social and income inequalities of a country. Nearly all major cities around the world have the problem. But what causes it?
Street vending does not arise of its own accord; it arises because of the unjust nature of the capitalist system. The unfair social reality under which the great majority of our people live and suffer is to a large extent directly responsible for it.
Trying to get rid of street vending while failing to address its underlying causes will only serve to worsen the problems our people face in the daily struggle for food, shelter, clothing, medication and so on. Urging vendors to return to designated trading sites might seem like a good move, but it doesn’t deal with the causes of the problem.
Given an inequality index of 57.1, Zambia ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest income inequality in the world. Under this extreme inequality between rich and poor, the emergence of street vending should not surprise anyone but should rather lead to questions as to why a country that is fertile and blessed should have nearly half its population scraping the barest forms of subsistence.
People on the economic margins will scavenge for a living from anywhere, including the street. It is no coincidence that as the cost-of-living crisis deepens, there is a rise in street vending. Driven by desperation to meet the cost of a day’s meal, trading in conventional sites is overshadowed by the ruthless competition to make a sale. This precarious situation deserves immediate attention.
The worsening cost of living has created a new underclass and it is everyone’s responsibility to react thoughtfully and positively to the situation. As Socialist Party President Fred M’membe has noted, “The origin of the problem is not on the street but at home where there is no food . . . households struggle to have just half a meal per day.”
It is against this backdrop that the struggling masses voted for the UPND in the last general election. But since it came to power just under two years ago, the Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket for a family of five has been rising sharply. Lusaka is a good case in point. As of February this year, the BNNB stood at K9,273 – a figure that is way too high for most households.
The UPND government does not have the policies to get our people out of this situation. There is nowhere in the world today where a neoliberal economy has succeeded in reducing poverty. As long as we have an elite class in leadership that is disconnected from people’s daily struggles, resolving the issue of street vending will remain a tall order.
Street vending arises from a misery that is socially constructed, and those responsible for it must be identified and held liable. Street vendors have been dealt with. Equally, those making our people fake promises and inspiring false hopes, causing them to hustle for a living on the streets, must be dealt with when the time comes to vote.
Faston Mwale – MCC
Presidential Aide (Political Affairs)
What a useless article. Just opportunism at play here. Useless politicians