The Zambia National Marketeers Association (ZANAMA) has appealed to President Mwanawasa to allow market associations to operate within Markets so that they could monitor the activities of the boards that would be put in place under the newly signed Market and Bus Stations Act of 2007.
ZANAMA President, Elvis Nkandu said Marketeers would only benefit from the
Citizens Empowerment and Decentralisation Policies that government has embarked
on if they they are given the mandate to play a critical role in the management
of the Markets
Mr Nkandu said his association would seek audience with President Mwanawasa over
the establishment of Market Boards before the newly signed Market and Bus Stations
Act Number seven of 2007Â comes into effect.
Mr Nkandu said the Marketeers were not against the new Act and establishment of
the boards but were worried that certain clauses in the Act were aimed at
discriminating Zambian Marketeers.
 He said there was need for Market Associations to be allowed to operate within
Markets so that marketeers could monitor the activities of the Boards.
 Speaking during a sensitization workshop for Marketeers on the New Bus Station
and Market Act held at Chisokone Market yesterday, Mr Nkandu said there was need
for the Marketeers to meet the President so that they could state their position
on the matter as they were not consulted on the establishment of the Act.
 He said the Marketeers have not rejected the Act but simply wanted to clarify
certain matters with the President which were against the Citizens Empowerment
and Decentralisation Policies that Government was promoting.
 He added that the composition of the Boards as stipulated by the new Act was not
done in good faith as the Marketeers would be disadvantage due to a limited number
of Marketeers to sit on the Boards.
Mr Nkandu further said the President was misled by the Local Authorities on the
management and operations of the Markets hence the need for ZANAMA to meet the
President so that a number of issues could be clarified before the new act is put
in place.
He added that the new Act was aimed at punishing certain individuals and
associations which were against the poor management of markets by the Local
authorities.
He further said the Marketeers were not comfortable with the Composition of the
Boards and wanted to watch the developments carefully.
