Angry marketeers from Makalanguzu market in Choma today staged a demonstration at the district commissioner’s
office in protest against a decision by Zambia Railways to allocate land on which they are conducting business to a rival group of traders.
The irate traders marched to the BOMA at about noon and demanded to be addressed by district commissioner Laiven Apuleni.
They threatened not to leave the premises until they were given concrete assurances regarding the controversy surrounding their market.
The marketeers threatened to beat up leaders of the town centre market whom they accused of using underhand methods to acquire land from Zambia Railways at the expense of those that are currently occupying the premises.
The marketeers have been incensed by a move taken by Zambia Railways to offer plot 1404 in Choma to a group of traders who are not part of the group currently operating from there.
But the District Commissioner assured the marketeers that the matter will be submitted to relevant authorities for redress.
Mr. Apuleni requested the traders to disperse and go back to the market and resume normal trading so as to allow government look into their grievance.
Some marketeers warned of violent demonstrations if Zambia Railways does not revoke the offer of land to the Town centre market committee led by Lawrence Mutemwa.
Makalanguzu market committee chairperson, Charles Siazilo, told ZANIS in Choma that the rival group from the town centre market does not represent the interests of his members and had used dubious methods to acquire the now disputed land.
Mr. Siazilo said the marketeers feel cheated as they have trading from there for a long time and will therefore not allow the committee to take over their land.
ZANIS/CM/MKM/ENDS
Wait a minute! where did ZR get the poers to allocate land for market stalls?This is anarchy.City or local authoritie are the ones empowered to do such duties.Marketeers please dont rest,demonstrate until your demands are met afterall its your constitutional right.
Bravo Marketeers, if Zambia railways is really selling that land then the current marketeers have the right to be given the 1st right of refusal since they’ve been trading on the same land for some years now, and as a matter of fact why not advertise the same land
Sounds like ZR has not been transparent in their dealings. They could have been looking for the highest bidders. Whatever the case seems to be a clumsy job.
That land needs a better investor who can build nice stalls ,which can later be leased to the marketeers.