Kitwe council raid illegal market

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 11:11:44 +0000

By ROGERS KALERO

KITWE City Council (KCC) Police officers yesterday swung into action and confiscated various merchandise from more than 50 traders operating from an illegal market on the banks of Kafue River on Mufuchani Bridge.

The local authority took the unpleasant action after more than one month of pleading with the traders to move from an illegal market because it was not conducive as it lacked essential facilities like toilets.

After their merchandise was confiscated by the council police, the traders went to the civic centre to seek dialogue with the local authority.

Speaking for other traders, Judith Mkandawire said they were pleading with the local authority to dialogue so that the matter could be put to rest after a new place was found for them where they could be trading from.

She said there was confusion within the traders because others wanted to fight the council, while others were willing to dialogue so that concerns of marketeers could be addressed.

“We trade from that market because we don’t have anywhere to trade from. So we are begging from the councillor, the MP and the Mayor to help us get back our goods and show us where we can be trading from,” Ms Mkandawire said.

Riverside ward councillor Chando Mbao said it was sad that the traders laughed at him and his Ipusukilo ward counterpart Mwango Chilufya Sata when he told them to leave the illegal market because the council police was going to pounce on them

And after a 30 minutes meetings in the lawns of the civic centre, Deputy Mayor Evaristo Chilufya said the council was aware about the problem and was trying to find a solution.

He said the most important thing was to give back the confiscated merchandise to the traders and also to show them where to trade from.