The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development says the gutting of Chisokone Market in Kitwe and some stalls at Lusaka’s Soweto Market within a short space of time is a drawback to efforts being made to remove vendors from the streets into markets.
On Tuesday, fire swept through Kitwe’s Chisokone Market while 15 stalls at Soweto Market were also gutted destroying property worth thousands of kwacha.
Ministry of Local Government Permanent Secretary Nicholas Phiri says this is a sad development as markets are an economic asset where people draw their livelihood from and also a source of employment creation.
Mr Phiri has told Phoenix News that government is working to ensure it determines the cause of the fire and value of goods destroyed in both incidences and advised marketers to take extra caution and avoid leaving anything that could have potential to ignite fire.
Meanwhile, the National Association for Marketeers, Disabled Traders and Vendors of Zambia says there is urgent need to modernize Chisokone Market and various other trading structures in Zambia to curb persistent fire disasters.
Association General Secretary Rodgers Bezika says Chisokone Market in its current form is a hazard hence the need to do a phased upgrade while ensuring that nobody’s right to trade is infringed upon.
And All Nations Are Families Director of Finance and Administration Emmanuel Kangwa has emphasized the need of informal sector employees to consider insuring their businesses to limit the impact of such calamities.
PHOENIX NEWS