CITY MARKET TRADERS HAPPY WITH INCREASED SALES

By Lumbiwe Mwanza

BARELY two weeks after the Government took action against street vending, sanity and order has been restored in the Central Business District with only few hawkers seen to be conducting business along the streets that where heavily clattered with various types of businesses.

A check at Lusaka’s city market by The Scoop, found more market shelters that where not occupied been occupied and trading going on orderly.

Mable Banda, who has been operating from the market shelters, told The Scoop that the Government’s stance against street vending had helped the markeeters in the shelter to begin to grow their businesses as sales have slowly began to increase.

She said that more buyers had started flocking into the market, a development she said was good as this was not the case previously when half of the traders were conducting their businesses from the streets.

“You see, all these people never used to come in here because of street vending. Many of these buyers ended on the streets where they would buy whatever they wanted without reaching the market. This had a bad impact on some of us who trade in the inside the market. Currently, we are enjoying increased sales. We just want to appeal to the Government to maintain the status quo as it is beneficial for all,” Ms. Chewe said.

She said that despite the Government’s action against street vending appearing to be a bad decision by some sections of society, it was important that citizens supported the decision to see what positive results will rise in the longer terms.

Meanwhile, a hawker who only identified herself as Tasila, said that they had continued selling though cautiously for fear of being arrested.

She said that they are forced to sell as hawkers because fruits could go to waste if not sold on time.

“We are selling just like this in fear because we are also scared of making loses. But we can say that this ban is a win-win step,” she said.