Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matambo and Kitwe District Commissioner Lawrence Mwanza have assured the people that have lost property in the Chisone market inferno of government aid.
Mr Matambo said this when he visited the market this morning
Goods worth millions of Kwacha have been gutted as fire swept through the curio section of Chisokone market in Kitwe last night.
The fire, which is suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault started from a phone accessories shop, spread to the curio sector affecting a few more shops from the curio section.
Kitwe City Council Fire Brigade reached the scene late as they were attending to another fire accident in Chimwemwe Township involving a house.
And Kitwe District Chairperson for the Association of Vendors and Marketeers (AVEMA) Astone Sakala has since appealed to government and the corporate world to help the traders who have lost property.
Mr. Sakala said over 200 traders have been affected and have nowhere to start from.
And Kitwe Town Clerk Patrick Kambita said the gutted number of shops is only about 5 percent of the total of shops operating in Chisokone contrary to the large numbers circulating on social media.
Mr. Kambita also condemned the people that stoned the council fire brigade vehicle saying the fire fighters could have put off before more shops were burnt.
meanwhile, immediate former chairperson for the Chisokone Curio section Maurice Chibesa said he has lost everything in the inferno.
Mr. Chibesa appealed to government for support in the form of capital so that the affected traders can restart their business.
Other affected traders who sell second hand clothes Miyanda Banda and Mary Sakala have their stock worth over K9, 000 and K 10,000 respectively.
“We have been left with nothing and we do not have anywhere to start from, we have children to look after and it is through this same business that we are able to take care of our families, we appeal to government to help us,” Ms. Sakala said.
