Vendors protest inferno

Wed, 05 Jul 2017 14:33:31 +0000

By AARON CHIYANZO

HUNDREDS of irate street vendors yesterday took to the streets of Lusaka, carrying weapons and others merchandise on their heads , while chanting ‘you have just provoked us now, we are ready for you’, protesting the burning of Lusaka’s City market by some unscrupulous people.

The street vendors who marched along Lumumba road, in full view of armed police
officers were issuing stern warning against unscrupulous people threatening to plunge the nation in a state of pandemonium.

Business came to a standstill around the Central Business District of Lusaka as the mob went round the streets mobilising all the traders to join in the protest.

The protestors, who had abandoned their stands, later headed towards Kanyama Township in a similar fashion to pass a message that they were now ready for the cartel.

One of the protesters Foster Mweba reiterated that it was imperative for the protesters to issue a stern warning to assure the perpetrators that their eyes were now open.

A rather furious protestor Mr Mweba, told the Daily Nation that he did not expect that unscrupulous people could reach an extent of causing so much damage within a short period of time.

He reiterated that market places were no longer safe and that it was only fair for the traders to sell their merchandise from home.

“I now believe that people can be evil. Market places are no longer safe so it is better people just sell from home. The fire swept through my friend’s phone shop and he is currently in Mongu, he sent me here to check if anything was spared.

“So, I support the move to issue stern warnings against whoever the perpetrators are, our eyes are now open. We are watching every move, we are ready for them now,” said Mr Mweba.

Meanwhile, there was commotion at City Market as the traders whose stands were gutted were pushing open the gates manned by the police in an attempt to retrieve the merchandise that could have remained.

One of the police officers explained that the place was still not safe as the fire had not been completely put off in certain sections, but the advice fell on deaf ears.

The traders shouted that “there are still other people inside, they will carry even what does not belong to them”.