FOREIGNERS SLEEPING IN KABWATA MARKET

UNSCRUPULOUS people masquerading as party cadres are allegedly cashing in on desperate foreigners’ need for accommodation by demanding monthly payments of K200 to allow them to sleep in markets stalls in Kabwata Township.

This is said to be posing a health hazard as most of the foreigners are using plastic bags to answer the call of nature and dispose of them carelessly.

The suspected cadres are also said to be levying impatient displaced vendors K200 for stalls allocation.

One of the affected vendors who chose to remain anonymous revealed to the Daily Nation that some Zambian traders have shunned the markets due to poor sanitation.

“As traders we are appealing to the Lusaka City Council to deal with the so called cadres because it may become worse,” said the concerned trader.

Condemning the vice, area ward, Councilor, Longa Chiboboka said the Bus Station and Market Act does not allow anyone to sleep in the markets.

Mr Chiboboka said cadres irrespective of which party they belonged to should know that the running of the market is vested in the Lusaka City Council through the office of the market master and the support of the market advisory committee.

“The Market and Immigration Act does not allow foreigners to fully operate in a local market like Kabwata market, they are supposed to operate at COMESA market.

“We have also involved the police to raid the market in the night and we will continue with these operations to make sure that nothing of that sort is happening,” he said.