Return to market, chongwe mayor tells highway traders

By JOHN KOMBE

CHONGWE marketeers trading along the Great East Road have been warned to be wary of traffic and go back to the market where stalls are empty.

Chongwel mayor Geoffrey Chumbwe warned the marketeers who have encroached on the highway that they risked being hit by vehicles.

The marketeers, who are trading outside the official market, have erected make-shift stands close to the highway. The marketeers are trading as near as less than two meters from the Great East trunk road.

The mayor has observed that most of those trading in the illegal area are not Chongwe residents, thereby disadvantaging the local marketeers who have faithfully remained in the market designated for trading.

“Of course this has tempted some of the locals to join in the vice of trading along the road so as not to miss out on the clients who find it cumbersome to navigate their way into the main market” Mr Chumbwe said.

He has hinted that the local authority has done its investigations and will soon come up with a lasting approach to avert the practice.

Town Clerk Levis Mumba has also backed this call and hopes that a lasting solution will be found. He noted that the trunk road must have a free area of 50 meters on both sides to facilitate future developments such as upgrading of the road to a dual-carriage way.

Mr Mumba has disclosed that the Office of the Vice President has offered to construct a modern market to be called, Jubilee Market. “The council is engaging the traditional authorities on the matter,” he said.

Mr Mumba said the traditional authorities must be consulted as they are the custodians of the land which must be used for developments such as this. He was hopeful that the traditional leadership will support the many developments that will be undertaken in the district which was upgraded to municipal status by President Edgar Lungu in February, 2017.