CHISOKONE MARKET TRADERS THREATEN CONFRONTATION WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES OVER PLANNED DEMOLISHING OF SHOPS
By Michael Kaluba
Hundreds of marketeers at Kitwe’s Chisokone Market have vowed to confront the Kitwe City Council head on if the local authority proceeds to demolish over 200 shops at the trading facility scheduled today.
According to a Kitwe City Council notice dated January 17, 2024 and signed by Kitwe Town Clerk Patrick Kambita, traders at the front of the green market shelter at chisokone market are expected to vacate by today Saturday 20 January, 2024.
The notice says the local authority has invoked provisions of the Markets and Bus Stations Act Number 7 of 2007 and regulation 12 (2) of the Public Health Regulations, 2017, to direct for the closure of these trading spaces by today, failure to which they will be demolished.
However, the marketeers have objected the move by the local authority saying the notice period is too short as it will disrupt their source of livelihood and have vowed to fight for their shops.
And speaking on behalf of the marketeers, Pastor Duncan Simuchimba has accused the local leadership in Kitwe of using the cholera pandemic to carry out a long-standing wish to demolish the shops and has warned that the traders will not move even by force.
PHOENI NEWS
This is breakdown of law and order and constitutionalism that Sangwa was referring to last week viz a viz the cholera outbreak. Next the provincial minister, local government ministers may intervene and finally the hot potato will be dropped onto the President’s laps. The Town clerk is trying to keep the market clean and orderly as per his mandate but the issue will end up at state house. The opposition instead of being rational will lurch on the fracas with a glee hoping maximize political capital out of quandary. Watch this space. This has been the script from UNIP days through to MMD, PF and now UPND. We cannot progress as a nation with such a breakdown in law and order.