Chongwe charcoal traders cry foul

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 09:35:10 +0000

By JOHN KOMBE

Charcoal traders in Chongwe have cried foul at the way the council has treated them.

They have been relocated to a new trading area, but most of them feel the place was too far from the central business district.

One trader told the Daily Nation that, charcoal had nothing to do with cholera and as such the move by the council was unfair. “We have been asked to move to a place very far from the central businesses district, this is unfair. Our business is not a food business and cannot cause cholera to escalate. Today, the council even came and confiscated our merchandise. How are we going to survive with such intimidation and ill-treatment?” he asked.

Meanwhile, area councilor, Mr Juvemalis Mulimbika has advised all marketeers and vendors to adhere to the directive as it was meant to safeguard the lives of the general population.

“The relocation exercise in the central business district is going on well so far. The market committee must be commended for the good work, but as usual you will always have people who take long to see sense in good intentions. My appeal is to all marketeers and vendors to put the interest of the public before their own. Others have moved, but those who decided to defy the directive can only have themselves to blame” he said. Mr. Mulimbika told the Daily Nation that, the task of relocating vendors to legal trading areas was not an easy one. “The business population is overwhelming and the market is not enough to accommodate the soaring numbers. The market association committee are working tirelessly in this exercise. This has not been easy and so the team must be commended for the proactive stance” he said.

Mr. Mulimbika revealed that the council and committee had identified and prepared an alternative trading area which was ready for use and so there was no need for bickering.

“This new area will house charcoal, Maize brand (Gaga) traders and welders. Our Mayor, Mr. Geoffrey Chumbwe earlier assured the marketeers that, no one would be left to suffer. The market committee have stood on that promise and were working to ensure that all traders were taken care of.