LCC pulls down controversial billboard
Lusaka City Council (LCC) has pulled down the controversial Kafue roundabout billboard in an exercise to regulate the placement of such structures in the city.
According to a statement issued on Friday by LCC assistant public relations manager Brenda Katongola, it is just one of the more than 75 billboards that have been removed in three months for, among other reasons, being illegally and wrongly mounted in the capital city.
“The agent on the Kafue roundabout billboard did not follow the approved specifications by the local authority and put up a structure contrary to what was approved,” she stated.
“Out of the more than 75 billboards removed, 35 were removed because they were illegally and wrongly mounted on street poles thereby posing a danger to motorists and pedestrians alike. The Council in January this year embarked on a programme of regulating the placement of billboards in an exercise that is meant to restore sanity in the manner billboards are erected and displayed in the city in line with the Local Government Act Cap 281 of the Laws of Zambia.”
She stated that 12 billboards were removed for obstructing traffic lights and the other 10 were removed for obstructing legally erected billboards.
“The latest billboards to be brought down were the two depicting Ministers Bowman Lusambo and Margaret Mwanakatwe, respectively. The two billboards were brought down for lacking identity of the advertiser and being erected without planning permission from the local authority,” stated Katongola.
“The Council wishes to advise advertisers that roundabouts, street poles and road reserves are a property of Lusaka City Council and as such planning permission should be sought before mounting any billboards and correct specifications of approved plans followed. The Council will continue to remove illegal billboards in the city in an effort to bring sanity Lusaka.”
