Zomba City Council relocates taxi rank

Zomba City Council (ZCC) has successfully relocated the taxi rank from operating from Hardware to the new Flea Market.

This follows a notice the council issued to all taxi operators to abide by the new city order as one way of minimizing congestion caused by taxis at the old rank.

In an interview, one of the taxi operators, Samuel Lemison who was at the new rank described the new site as very smart and ideal for doing business.

“I am very pleased with the new location for taxis because the area is very smart and suitable for our business. Customers are coming as usual and our business will not be disturbed anymore due to this relocation,” said Lemison.

Lemison, therefore, called on his fellow taxi operators to work closely with the city council and abide by the order in an attempt to boost their business, noting that the relocation had come about because the city is fast developing.

According to Anita Bwanali, a restaurant operator, the relocation of the taxi rank has given an advantage to some business persons situated behind the new taxi rank, saying her business would be boosted with the coming in of the rank.

“I guess this works to our advantage as the taxi operators will give us business by buying food from us and others running different businesses here. The taxi users and drivers will promote our business as they will be buying different items including meals from my restaurant,” said Bwanali.

Bwanali said people would prefer buying their products right from the area unlike how it used to be in the past.

However, some vendors who were operating illegally at the old taxi rank said they have been completely affected by the relocation of the taxis.

Madalo Missi said after the relocation of taxi operators the morning of June 05, the old rank could not be attractive any more, observing: “What you can see now are people passing by not those who can buy items from us. This has greatly affected our sales,” Missi said.

Meanwhile residents in the city have hailed ZCC authorities for relocating the taxi rank to the flea market, saying the situation at the old rank would have been a cause for accidents.

ZCC has since put stiffer punishment to taxi drivers who would continue operating at the Hardware Rank.

The new rank has been designed for taxis operating to different locations such as Chinamwali, Three Miles, Matawale, Mpondabwino and Chikanda.

Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :

Sharing is caring!