Mzuzu vendors vow to remain in streets, boycott flea market

Mzuzu street vendors have challenged a call by Mzuzu City Council to move to designated places.

This follows the council’s warning for illegal vendors to move out of streets by Thursday September 3, or face reasonable force.

A second-hand clothes vendor in the city, Vera Ng’ambi, said it is the same council which gave her space where she does her business and that it doesn’t make sense for the same council officials to move her out.

“It was the same council that came and showed us where to be, why are they saying its undesignated place?

‘’We are not moving unless the council shows us a befitting place to do our businesses,” said Ng’ambi.

Some vendors also complained of long distance to the flea market which they say result in buyers shunning it.

Mzuzu Main Market Chairperson, George Chinguwo, welcomed the council’s decision to relocate the vendors to the main market.

Chinguwo added that government spent a lot of money in constructing new market structures for vendors.

‘’This is a welcome idea for some of us if the council will indeed walk the talk. Vendors trading in undesignated places have to be moved so that we all have equal treatment,” said Chinguwo.

Mzuzu City Council Spokesperson, Macdonald Gondwe, said the exercise which is expected to start on Thursday will see all vendors in undesignated places relocate to the flea market which is in good condition as per the vendors demand.

Gondwe said the notice was for vendors to voluntarily move to designated places because the matter is being treated as a family issue since vendors are critical partners to the development of the council.

‘’We do not want to use force hence the notices and plea for vendors to voluntarily move because failing to do so force will be used and those adamant will face the law,” said Gondwe.

Gondwe said the flea markets are in good condition hence no excuse for vendors this time around.

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