Traders’ relocation cheers PF

THE Patriotic Front in Livingstone has expressed happiness that the local authority has allowed traders to temporarily conduct business near the Comesa building.

PF Akapelwa Ward chairman, Ikuka Muleta, observed that the decision will go a long way in helping the traders who were displaced from the same place three years ago.

The traders were moved from the area to pave way for the construction of a modern market and most of them trooped to the streets as vendors.

Mr Muleta said after being displaced, people were suffering as they had nowhere to go to.

He said now that the Livingstone City Council had designated a temporary trading location, street vending would reduce.

Street vending, he observed, had escalated especially in the central business district but that the problem had been resolved after moving traders near the Comesa building.

Mr Muleta told the Daily Nation that sanitation at the new trading place had been addressed by the traders themselves.

"As a chairman of Akapelwa ward, I was looking forward for this place to be given to the people on temporary basis. This is because the market (modern market) where they are supposed to trade from is not yet completed.

"We are happy that the traders have somewhere to conduct business from as they wait for the completion of the main market.

What we have also done is that I helped them by paying for water because this place had no running water," Mr Muleta said.

And Mr Muleta has commended Government for the infrastructure development taking place in Akapelwa ward, which includes a modern market.

"Once the main market is completed people will not have to suffer like they have been doing. They will not be squatters anymore. We thank President Edgar Lungu for that market," he said. Market secretary, Susan Mulangu, thanked the council and the mayor Mr Eugene Mapuwo for listening to the plight of the people.

"From the time we were chased from here three years ago, we did not have anywhere to go and people were suffering but today we are here again the Council has felt pity on us.

"We are happy that finally, we have been allowed to be here. We thank government for that," said Ms Mulangu.