ZANIS-The Zambia National Marketers Association (ZANAMA) has described the plans by the Lusaka City Council (LCC) to take over 18 cooperative markets in Lusaka as unfair.
ZANAMA president, Elvis Nkandu, has since urged the local authority to rescind its decision, saying it does not serve the best interest of the marketers in the country.
Mr. Nkandu said marketers have worked so hard to build the markets to the present status, adding that it was not fair the council take possession of the markets.
He told ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today that marketers themselves were in a better position to run the affairs of these markets and not the councils.
He explained that marketers were always on site and were aware of the various problems that need to be addressed.
Mr. Nkandu said most LCC controlled markets were in dilapidated conditions hence the need to let cooperatives to run their own markets.
He cited Soweto Market in Lusaka, Kwacha market in Kabwe and Chamboli market on the Copperbelt as examples of council controlled markets that are in dilapidated conditions.
Mr. Nkandu alleged that markets that have been taken over by councils in the country used to be in very good sanitary conditions but were now in very poor sanitary conditions.
The association chief has since urged the marketers to fight for their rights and resist the council’s bid to take over their markets.
He said poverty levels in the country might increase as a result of the move by LCC, especially that a number of people earn their living through trading in the markets.
Mr. Nkandu has since appealed to government through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing to intervene in the matter and come to the aid of the people.
He suggested that government should centralize and empower the marketers for them to contribute meaningfully to the social and economic development of the country.
Meanwhile, the LCC says it is mandated by the new market act that empowers the local authority to repossess the markets.
Council Public Relations Officer, Henry Kapata, said the new market act was passed in order to bring sanity to the markets so that the people are protected from communicable diseases.
He also said that there has being a lot of mismanagement of market funds by the market boards and the council taking over in order to correct the anomalies that are taking place.
And Mr. Kapata said the council is very serious over the matter and has warned people intending to resist the council’s to aware of the consequences.
ZANIS/PM/KSH/ENDS
thats gud
awe lt i m upset mwe
Why the opposition? Let me read.l-)
can someone explain to me y my comments are being deleted aaargh!!!!
so the council reckon they ll do a beta job teh ?thats so laughable
#4 because you and the likes of J@m@co post useless comments just so as you can be the first ones posting. Terms like ‘thats gud’ , ‘yes’ , ‘thats right’ rtc . You are the part of the immature bunch that fills this site wil useless drivel. Just because you fail to be number one in life doesn’t mean you will be number one on here. You should take your time to read and comment sensibly instead of pretending this is a race where you get a prize
#6 Prince (West African names)
Relax dude. What’s wrong with a short comment like “good” or “bad”? One word can say more than a thousand. It’s not the ammount of words that counts but the content.
Having said that, I still fail to see the plausible reason behind ZANAMA’s opposing LCC. Can you help?:d
LSKtimes
You are doing a good job , I hope moderation will fall upon the lonely hearts that are aesthetically challenged that think this place is a dating site.
Bana maliketi knows best how to run their affairs, let alone those cooperative markets..hence they should be empowered and let them run the show..
Most of them it is their livelihood…
Why should someone with no interest to their hearts and probably with little knowledge run the show??:o:o:o:o:-w:-w:-?:-?:)>-:)>-**==
The Council has also want to eat!! Otherwise they would not bother.
awe lelo ni lelo!!
Kasungu pa 10!! :d
mwebantu ” The council also wants to eat!! Otherwise they would not bother”
so 😕
6. Prince Eyangu Urtna
kapoli thanks for another version of my name j@m@co!! :d
Emo alila uyo muntu. Always exploiting poor marketeers. He thought by campaining for mmd he was going to be allowed full control of amamliketi
# 13
WALASA INCHISHINKA!
Surely speaking markets should be runned by the council not the Nkandus exploiting people by forcing them to vote MMD
But my concern is whether councils will be able to run the markets effectively. Because were have they been taking all the levies they collect in big markets? if markets can still be dirty and having poor infrastructure.
Zambians are too selfish hence its good that some people are being jailed ,i only hope the trend will continue
:o8-|8-| From my past experience when i worked for some Local Authority (LA), I feel its better to let ZANAMA manage the markets than the LA. Most LA are full of selfish people that abuse whatever revenue they collect no wonder the workers go unpaid for months and communities to be served are neglected. Has anyone ever wondered why all LAs in Zambia have failured in their mandates???? Selfishness
IN SATA’S GOVERMENT NO ONE CAN COLLECT REVENUE AND ABUSE IF HE WANTS HIS/HER JOB.
:d Correction #15. Last line …have failed in their mandates???
cfome to think of it. why does government allow wolves, spivs and harlots to run these markets? that is the problem when you have a rotten government and rotten opposition waiting to take over government. shame
:d
l-)
Why cant Lcc improve other services instead of inviting more problems.If it wants to run the markets,it must have plans and how to address problems,due to budget constraints. **==**==
The markets must be run by the owner- The LCC. If Nkandu and his group wants to run a market, then they must build their own as ZANAMA. These chaps have enriched themselves to the point of becoming untouchables in the markets. They are not different from Honourable Nsanda’s the United Transport and Taxis Association (UTTA)which is a group of kaponyas.
Laws should be followed and people should develop a culture of saying “NO” to thuggery.
Come on LCC, get what is your and bring sanity back to the markets.
Whoever gave ZANAMA the running of markets in the beginning made a grave mistake. This association has to be a voluntary representative of the marketers and not a money collection association. Also, each market should have its own representative body instead of one national body of basically people bordering on being Thugs.
They are now even more powerful than the Town Clerk of the council.
Chisokone market in Kitwe is an eye-sore when Nkandu and company get richer and richer. What a shame :d
foolish Nkandu.