By Sam Abuya
The Mayor of Zambia’s capital Lusaka, together with his health officials, have closed down Lantian Restaurant, a Chinese restaurant in the capital for allegedly allowing in Chinese nationals only and blocking Africans for ‘reasons related to COVID-19’, among others.
The Mayor, one Mr. Miles Sampa who was flanked by the Director of Health Edgar Mulwanda, urged residents to whistle-blow on any business that is flouting the set rules and regulations of doing business in the capital.
According to the mayor, Lantian restaurant was closed indefinitely for flouting laws in the Food and Health Act which include selling products that are labelled in Chinese as opposed to the recommended English language, doing business without a valid license from the City Council and operating with a fire certificate which had already expired.
On Sunday, a story was run in a local television station on how the Lantian restaurant was only allowing in Chinese customers while locking out blacks in what was termed as coronavirus related reasons.
The mayor reprimanded Lantiana restaurant proprietor one Mr Tang, and termed the allegations as ones that he’ll not allow saying Zambia is an independent country and will not allow apartheid to creep in again especially on its citizens.
Mr. Tampa has urged all citizens in the city to whistle blow any business activity that is going against the laid down rules and regulations or any business that might be practising unethically. He promised that the council will move with speed to stop any such businesses.
There have been several cases of Chinese nationals mistreating Africans both in the continent as well as back in China. Recently, several Africans were thrown out of their houses in China in what was related to COVID-19 pandemic. They were allegedly denied access to supermarkets as well in what attracted a lot of outcry and backlash from the continent.
