Kasumbalesa traders appeal for sanity

THE Cross Border Small Traders Associations has appealed to the new administration to ensure that it brings order in the way cross border trade is being conducted at Kasumbalesa border post.

The Association’s business advisor, Mr Charles Kakoma, said there had been a number of illegalities at the Kasumbalesa border as traders were highly oppressed by Patriotic Front (PF) party cadres.

Mr. Kakoma said with the coming of a new administration, the traders would want to see that no more party cadres were involved in border control management.

He stated that the PF cadres had taken control of the border to a level where border agencies were failing to do their duties according to the law.

Mr Kakoma said Kasumbalesa being a border area with the vast neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was strategic to the traders and the country at large. He also called for an end to the harassment of traders and perpetuation of activities that were increasing the cost of doing business.

"Traders were manhandled and beaten by cadres, cadres took control of border operations where they controlled almost everything. We need a lot of intervention to smoothen cross border trade at Kasumbalesa,” Mr Kakoma said.

And Chililabombwe Town Clerk Jovax Ngoma expressed optimism that the political will from the new government would help bring sanity in the public trading areas.

"At Kasumbalesa, there are various interests there, but mainly there are these illegal activities of extortion money from traders by market associations. It has been a long legal battle, we take them to court and so on, but with the political will from the new government, I hope we will be able to address this problem," Mr Ngoma said.