Sun, 29 Oct 2017 10:32:29 +0000
By Mukosela Kasalwe
ARSONISTS have burnt down the remaining part of City Market destroying more than 500 stalls on the green section.
A check by the Daily Nation yesterday, found shops at City Market which were less affected by the last fire in dying flames and ashes including those surrounding the trading area.
A trader Nathan Tembo said the fire started at around 24:00hours on Friday and 01:00 hours Saturday morning and complained that despite City Market having a police station and security officers, the suspected arsonists had eluded them.
Mr Tembo said he has lost undisclosed amount of money of his business as sugar, vinegar and other products were burnt in the fire.
Fire Brigade officers were seen fighting the remaining flames to salvage any timber and to stop any further spread of the fire.
Patriotic Front Kanyama Member of Parliament Elizabeth Phiri who was in the company of Lusaka Mayor Wilson Kalumba and District Commissioner Captain Davison Mulenga described the incident as an act of evil doers.
Ms Phiri said it was shocking that City Market had yet again been set ablaze when there was no electricity or any activity going on at the market.
The area Member of Parliament urged the security personnel to up their game and ensure the building and goods of traders were protected.
Ms Phiri said it was a setback but affirmed that Government was determined to construct a better and modern City Market which would accommodate more traders.
“This is an act of arson and evil doers, City Market has no electricity and there is no activity currently taking place in the building to warranty a fire,” she said.
A marketeer, Charity Sakala who was in tears said 20 bags of 25 Kilogrammes of potatoes which she kept in one of the nearby makeshift shop ‘Ntemba’ was destroyed and bemoaned how she would take care of her orphaned grandchildren.
Ms Sakala said she did not know what she would now do as that was her only source of livelihood and that it was heart-breaking that arsonists had again made marketeers to suffer untold misery and suffering.
She said security at Soweto market was better unlike at City Market and that despite paying market levy it was seemingly not put to good use.
A trader, Matthews Chiti called on the government to come to their aid and wondered the intention of arsonists.
Traders said if arsonists were caught it would be better to have to deal with them harshly.
And Local Government minister Vincent Mwale disclosed that the City Market structure is earmarked for demolition to put up a new market very soon.
Mr Mwale said he was still waiting for a full report on what exactly could have caused the fire, but that preliminaries have indicated that yesterday’s fire gutted the part that was originally salvaged in the July inferno.
He said the Ministry had refused shop owners to use the side of the market that was saved previously, and was confident the damage would have been huge, but was glad there was no mechandise destroyed in Friday/Saturday inferno.
