COMESA market in Lusaka has gone up in flames.
The fire broke off around 21 Hours and affected almost the entire market.
By 22:30 Hours, the fire was still blazing and the fire brigade on site trying to bring down the flames.
Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo Town Clerk Alex Mwansa and officials from the provincial administration and the Lusaka City Council were on the scene.
Police officers ended up fire shots to scare away members of the public who wanted to loot some of the goods as the fire was raging.
By time of writing , police had not issued an official statement on the matter.
On Thursday morning, Buteko Market in Mufulira district on the Copperbelt Province was gutted following the fire that swept through the trading place, reducing almost everything to rubble.
Mufulira Mayor, Gift Mushinge said in an interview with ZANIS, that the fire started around 01:00 hours in morning and was only quenched around 04: 00 by a team of Council Fire Fighters from Mufulira Municipal Council and Mopani Copper Mines adding that, the cause of the fire has not yet been established.
Mr. Mushinge who described the development as unfortunate, said a committee had since been instituted to establish the cause of the inferno.
The Mufulira Mayor said he was saddened with the news owing to the fact that the market is a source of many people’s income.
He said earlier this year, President Edgar Lungu expressed concern at the way markets were being administered when he visited the district early this year further stating that, it is embarrassing that his concerns were not attended to.
Mr. Mushinge has however, urged the affected marketeers to take heart as government is with them and that plans to construct a modern market are underway.
And Mufulira Council Public Relations Officer, Thandiwe Tembo said the fire mostly affected the vegetable and furniture sections.
Ms. Tembo said properties worth thousands of kwacha have been destroyed.
She said the team of fire fighters is still on the ground to ensure that the fire is thoroughly quenched.
We’ve had it at Soweto, Chisokone and other markets before, and now Mufulira and Comesa markets. And all we do is dispatch the dysfunctional million dollar fire tenders that are not up to the task. Then you have senior govt officials describe it as “unfortunate”, but quite honestly this is subversion. We have no military or police intelligence at all. One day we’ll wake up and find state house, police headquarters and our barracks on fire – our security apparatus has failed. Believe you me, this is no small thing at all. I cry for dear Zambia.
HH at it again. He’s been talking about “self defense” and this is his self defense for losing to Lungu. Squeeze the poor by taking away their income. This is his MO!
I’d really love to talk to the guy with dreadlocks who was interviewed on TV on the scene coz his story sounded so co-ordinated and maybe we’ll rehersed too. Honestly, isn’t this supposed to be a traumatic scene?
“Mr. Mushinge has however, urged the affected marketeers to take heart as government is with them and that plans to construct a modern market are underway.”
There you have it. Most of these bizarre fires are actually done by these same people ruling us. What next AVIC will construct a market and these same people will have stores there. watch the space. Question is how come they already planned for a modern market?
This is the cycle of life in zambia
Chorela – market fires – rigging elections
Dear Comrades yet again I am “gutted” by this fire despite my humble efforts to supply you with transforming fire engines worth a fire quenching USD 1 million as I said over the Mufulira fire I shall up the ante and get you USD 2 million fire engines. Lay rest assured as with the City Market, I and my capable side kick Inonge already saw the arsonists our in-house fortune teller showed us though the images were not in HD but it was clear who. My Humbleness stops me from acting. I am travelling soon and a new market is coming. Yours ECL
We never these fires until PF started guarding the narkets.
PF cadres tasked to guard these markets know the culprits who set the market ablaze. They should all be arrested until they point out the culprit and the one who gave the order.
Lungu has failed to run the country.
Lungu must go by any means possible
Comrades, additionally my humble opposition President Minister (whatever his title) has in an emergency meeting rightfully reminded me that COMESA market sits on the firebelt area… City Market,COMESA HQ building itself and now the COMESA Market have been gutted by fires before he has proposed that since the Market is another wasting asset we need to go the PPP way and do a special fire station that can accommodate the 2 million USD engines we are to buy. The current fire station cannot handle these new ones. This will also mean the Station will be in the fire epicentre. AVIC already gave us the blue print and BOQ it will cost USD 300 million.Oh! It will also double as a Cholera Epicentre. Yours Truly the working Presido ECL
My fellow citizens, yesterday, I said on this platform that there will be more markets gutted. I totally suspect that this government is involved. This trend will continue until this government is out of office.
Since before 1964, our markets have been safe. Nothing on this scale has ever happened. There are no coincidences people. This is all calculated to make certain individuals benefit on contracts that WILL be awarded to the Chinese to rebuild.
Zambians should stand up now and task Lungu to explain why this is happening. He promised to investigate the Kamwala market fire, but up to now, he has not said anything.
Mwanawasa should never have been called cabbage, and Sata should never have been called ichumbu. Lungu deserves both these names though.
Mark my words, after the fire, the market will be handed over to Chinese.
Chinese are taking over:
– Our unemployed sisters used to travel to Dubai, Joburg to buy tiles, brazilian hair, furniture. Nowadays PF has allowed tu ma Chinese to take over markets, taking our sisters out of business.
– Our uncles used to rear chickens due to no jobs, now Chinese are selling ARV-fed chickens due to PF
– Our fathers used to own/work for construction companies but now only Chinese companies are being given contracts & they bring in convicts as cheap labour.
– Chinese are running smelters without mining licences or ZRA TPINs
– Chinese are finishing our Mukula Trees & truck convoys are escorted by State House Land Cruisers.
The pipo who keep voting & rigging for PF need to have their heads…
CONT’D…
The pipo who keep voting & rigging for PF need to have their heads examined.
Lol at the modern market. A tiny little Tokyo Market can’t kick off after 7 months. Wait a decade for Comesa
Burn baby Burn. Marketeers love the attention and loans. They will keep burning these SOBs
this is Zambia under PF;
Edgar please stop your people from this subortoge, take your fucccken PF cadres out of markets.
People behind the purchase of those old cheap third hand fire trucks should seriously be investigated. Diverting attention? …. sounds like it me.
…. plans to construct a modern market are underway. What does this even mean? What is modern if the same markets never have fire suppressant systems installed? Let’s be serious.
am not blaming anyone but praying for everyone
its sad seen a widows source of income put in frames of fire
katalalika wamabimbi please talalika these marketers tears put out fire and pain in there hearts
katalalika tutalalike
The overpriced $42m firetrucks probably arrived with no water to quench this Comesa market made of cheap tins. Let that irony sink in.
Why setup a committee to investigate the cause of the inferno if you have got the fire brigade? Ninshi fire brigade doesn’t know how to do their job properly?
HH and his evil men at play. Even a 1 year old boy can testify.
YOU ARE AN EVIL PERSON WITH EVIL THOUGHTS !!! STUPID !
And it takes grown-up !mbecile to understand one year old boy testimony?
Another vseless 1mbecile.marketeers are responsible for all these nonsense.they have made profits from the loans they got from Chakolwa Rungu and now they want to steal more from him ….lol
#1 WANU NGWEE, “….We have no military or police intelligence at all….”.
Exactly my thoughts, the police are corrupt through and through, just rotten beyond redemption, they cannot investigate anything, when if they do the highest bidder wins whether he is or is not the criminal is immaterial.
It’s important to inculcate safety issues in people operating in markets.The so called restaurants inside markets should be looked into. Pointing fire to HH won’t help and I don’t think he can do that.Let us observe occupation health and safety laws. Safety issues in Zambia is not a thing that’s where there is a problem. Look at the black mountain and the recent fire at Soweto. Mwebakwatako amaka yakulandikisha (politicians) look at this seriously. Twi ibepesha because there is a by-election in Lusaka, fundeni aba bantu. Then you politicians do not go in churches campaigning.
PF lead by lungu are to lazy and corrupt to go that sort of work a normal government would do, especially after the last fires one would have thought GRZ are on top of things…..but no, ka mwale, lusambo, and the whole pf GRZ just looting and borrowing 24/7
By the way, do not expect a comment from jj.
Sad incidents like these will evoke gleeful comments from tribal sadists, you know them by now, they cannot deceive anybody anymore, full blown crocodile tears and comments designed to lead you away from the real culprits.
We have told you , we are looking at a totally corrupt lazy GRZ lead by lungu.
After the last fires kanshi nothing has been done ????
Hehehehe if one does not laugh at the incompetence of lungu and his team , one would cry…..
Dokwe I like the idea of installing fire suppression systems in all these market and public buildings in Zambia most buildings built are below standards .Any building without a fire suppression system and emergency exit is closed down in most countries we need better policies the government could have bought fire engines and installed fire suppression system out of the 42 million
This is really bad. The investigation must be intensified. Why fires again? These are human perpetrated actions. PF will be distracted sorting out fire occurrences while other political parties will be campaigning for mayoral elections. Bad intended tactics indeed. Boma iyanganepo seriously!
Is all all you think of , PF campaigning ?
Useless humans…..
THIS IS MOST LIKELY THE WORK OF HH. BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE THE POLICE AND INVESTIGATIVE WINGS WHICH ARE SO WEAK. WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE BEFORE TORCHING GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS, MARKETS AND NOTHING HAS COME OUT OF INVESTIGATIONS. NEXT IT WILL BE STATE HOUSE, ARAKAN BARRACKS, KKIA AND YOU HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS PROMISED ARMAGEDDON. THE CLEVER PERPETRATORS AND DULL POLICE OFFICERS IN COURT, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? IT IS VERY SAD. THESE ARE POOR PEOPLE WHOSE LIVES YOU ARE TRYING TO SEND TO AN EARLY GRAVE.
@ chisenga, stop blaming HH. people can also turn around and blame PF as they need to pay the Chinese for all the latest campaign material given to the PF party. watch very soon there will be big construction there as Comesa market sits on a very prime piece of land. Let us think like humans with compassion for all the traders that have lost their livelihood in that inferno.
kubweka
What do you expect of a corrupt theiving PF ? Lungu promised 500, 000 instead he meant black mountain where youths are getting burried alive, they saw fires and corruptly award 42/42 then do nothing about the possibility of more fires ?
They have no answers if they can not borrow…
This is all a result of lawlessness in our country. People are allowed to trade from structures that do not meet even the barest minimum of fire prevention standards. This is nature sorting itself out. This chaos that we have come to accept as normal will collapse on its own just like what’s happening to markets. Next will be major road accidents involving illegal street vendors. Let’s put our country in order.
“…..He said earlier this year, President Edgar Lungu expressed concern at the way markets were being administered when he visited the district early this year further stating that, it is embarrassing that his concerns were not attended to….”
After the last fires I am record urging GRZ to begin a home grown fire manufacturing equipment industry so as to cater for the much needed fire safty standards in all public places and for export. All public places need, by SI, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and proper power cut out switches. If these are made in Zambia , thousands of jobs will be created.
Me thinks , just like 42/42 , some one is starting these fires to get a contract.
Soon you will see some one from PF getting a contract to import and provide smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in all public places….by SI
We say a local industry should be established to make these in Zambia to provide employment….
An SI should be passed to have all public places fitted with smoke alarms and fire extinguishers. …… if GRZ were serious a local fire industry would be created to provide thousands of jobs and for export.
All marketeers and GRZ employers must attend a one day fire prevention course.
Clever interprenures can spot this from miles and would be gearing up to provide fire prevention courses for public places.
Shame! Have they even started rebuilding the gutted city market?
Just 42/42 , we think these fires are deliberate for someone in PF to get given a contract to import smoke alarms.
If this is not the case , after the last fires, we are looking at an totally incompetent and willfull GRZ who are totally lazy and useless ….for them to carryon bussiness as usuall and not institute fire safety standards and systems.
Only 2 above explanations for these fires. And lungu leading this GRZ is to blame for both. The buck stops at his expensive shoes.
The blame game will not help, it a sign of failure as a person if u can blame people and low thinkin,learn from God u foolish people, when man sinned, he didn’t blame man but sort for a solution-He came to die for him bcoz he he had the evidence that man had sinned. Don’t blame HH when u don’t have the evidence, this is unZambia. The issue of blaming people is only found in the camp of the devil. So which camp do u belong? Where is security?
We are just dancing to our tune, we are going backwards, it’s pf
Its what happens when you “dununa reverse” Zambia is a joke!!!!!
Those fire engines are a curse, the person responsible for acquiring those engines needs to be apprehended and the money he made handed to these poor people who have lot everything. These people don’t need a new market like the so called lazy mayor stated, a mayor is supposed to come up with his own speech which shows he cares rather than just parroting Lungu’s old message. Zambians need to wake up and realize that there are going no where with this PF, they are just bringing more misery to themselves by keeping on voting for these killers and thieves. How long are these docile Zambians going to take before they wake, the so called sent by God may not even be from God.
After the last fires laddies and gentlemen , nothing was done about fire safety.
That’s what we say those fires were deliberate by PF to get paid for 42/42……
We looking at a totally incompetent and corrupt GRZ , who are all busy looking for tenders to have time to do any work for the nation…..
Let’s not forget that we are in a very cold season and people are forced to light fires to warm themselves,guards included.Fires can get out of hand especially if you warm yourself to sleep.i wouldn’t blame anyone on this but fire prevention systems and thier enforcement
M
for the past 3 years fires have been gutting public places and nothing is being done except maybe the corrupt 42/42 ?
If this is not the work of PF We are saying you can not have a whole GRZ just watching while people trade in fire hazards ? It is not out of the blue, we have had fires before and they , GRZ should be on top of things
My concern is based on lazy people who talk nonsense wen serious issues arise,someone who has 5sense can not open her/his mouth to start accusing innocent people like HH/PF to be behind the fire,who knows who? such characters don’t value in problems but only to cause confusion and inconvenience progress in the country,bad souls markets are not political Secretariat offices,markets consist number of political parties and none partisan,talking rubbish by pointing fingers won’t help our nation,sometimes try to be a concerned citizen and put politics aside…
You can not have fires gutting public places every month and you say you have a government in place ? What are they doing ?
HH HAS GUTTED THE MARKET AGAIN. ITS HIGH TIME THE NATION ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE AND FACED THE FORCES OF EVIL FIGHTING THE NATION. SOMEONE PROMISED ARMAGEDDON, PANGA FOR PANGA AND OUR POLICE ARE JUST SITTING. HH KNOWS THAT HE WILL LOSE THE MAYORAL ELECTIONS. THE STATE OF MARKETS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT CAMPAIGN CHIP AT THE MOMENT. THE STRATEGY NOW IS TO CREAT DISPONDENCE AND DISILLUSIONMENT AMONG THE VOTERS.
After burning city market to justify 42/42 , lungu and kapoyongo now want more corrupt deals like 42/42 ….they have finished eating from 42/42 Now they ate burning again to get fire extinguisher contracts…
ba Chisenga, you have just exposed your way of ignorant thinking, only someone privy to the bad act all in the name of governance for self can think like you. What is a Mayoral position after all and with our Zambian politics even if an opposition person wins that mayor seat the PF will frustrate every move so that the person fails as a mayor, so cut the crap of pointing fingers and point at youself you heartless person. people s livelihoods have gone up in flames, how many lives were dependent on the income from there and all you do is comment hate. This should affect the whole country at the loss of income for those marketeers whilst you carry on getting an income because you are a paid blogger, a cadre shame on you. One Zambia One Nation and we will not allow you and your thugs to…
@Chisenga, from your screaming senseless accusations, this HH is so powerful that he appears to be everywhere. Exactly what Zambia needs, no?
No, I am not a member of any party – just observing.
Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me every time..Its definitely a leadership crisis
Lets not forget that we are in a very cold season when people are forced to light fires to warm themselves,guards included.Fires get out of hand especially if you warm yourself to sleep.I wouldn’t blame any individuals on this one but fire-prevention systems and their enforcement
The blame lies squarely with lungu and his GRZ ……..after 3 to 4 years of fires in unsafe public places they should have sorted this mess out.
Failing systems is more than one person
For a continuously failing system , the manager is to blame
“For continuous failing systems the manager is to blame”.Blame the market manager then.
They all take instructions from PF …..davis mwila is on film advising the PF kaponyas to take over public places.
Under PF no accountability badala…i guess it’s nature. Even the $17 billion owed is an act of nature….cholera raving our communities in the rains is also an act of nature…..very reassuring.
No need to complicate matters here.The problem is at technical and technocrat level.No sane politician can order for a market to be purposefully burnt down,ruling or opposition.And this has nothing to do with $17 Bn. owed or nature
anyone to confirm if Bowman Lusambo cried also in Lusaka like he did in Ndola?
Next you you see lazy lungu in gum boots with lusambo and ka mwale sweeping away the ashes and the usual resident of rats will be dancing about a humble hard working leader , while nothing is done and we await the next fire….
Protest
It would appear the so called the opposition is actually in the government,decontrolling remotely hence remedial action necessary now to avert further damage.All security wings have been infuriated.
I think Zambians now know the fires are started by the Chinese so that they can rebuild the markets. Zambians will rise one day by Gods grace.
Do not forget that this is a cold season and people use fire so much to warm up themselves. It is most likely that we can have fire out breaks in fire pron areas.
We have been having fires for the past 3 to 4 years , So in your thinking every winter markets will continue to burn ? And by the same logic every rain season cholera will ravage our communities ?
The police is behind this bcz all the fires that have been burning they have done nothing to improve security in public places. Being headed by a criminal Kampyongo ema outcomes ayayene
Today I wished I were Lusaka Police Chief.
UPND’s days are numbered. HH’s days are numbered. All days are not the same!
UPND is terrorist Horganization. It is time the security wings began to treat it so. If they have Hatribes Horganistion in the security wings as moles please bypass them and do your job. Animal Farm must be put where it belongs NOW and don’t wait until it causes more damage. Enough is enough! Common Health must be laughing at us now.
Mapatizya.
The problem we have is the mentality of people (gutters ) and not fire trucks or whatever you call them.You can purchase very expensive ones but if you don’t teach people to be law abiding citizens,the problem will still be unresolved.
Meant arsonists