Chakwera meets LL vendors, thanks him for practicing civilized politics
Lilongwe based small scale business operators have hailed President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera for practicing civilized politics and politics of castigation.
Speaking during an interface with President Chakwera at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe, the vendors said politics has now wore a new face.
“Out of all the past presidents we have had in Malawi, you are the only one that practices civilized politics and not politics of castigation. Please keep it,” said one vendor representative a Mr Kachibekete.
Kachibekete asked the president to consider talking to Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) to adjust down duty charged on imported goods.
He thanked the president for the gates of State House allowing them to come and voice out their concerns.
Taking her turn, Hardware Representative Doreen Jere asked the president to control some foreign vendors who are monopolizing business by engaging into both retail and wholesale trading.
“We are in stiff competition with foreign vendors because our friends have access to high capital unlike us,” emphasized Jere. “This is the reason local businesses are finding it tough to thrive.”
In his remarks, Minister of Local Government Richard Chimwendo Banda pleaded with Government to remove surity on loans to vendors from National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF).
He advised the vendors against engaging into violent demonstrations when they have disagreements.
“As vendors learn to love your country by protecting public property,” he said.
Responding to the vendors concerns, President Chakwera said he has taken note of all challenges that are being faced by the traders.
He told the vendors that his administration has introduced new business laws to help legislate Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) to ensure growth.
He said there is no country where it’s citizens pay no tax but the tax should be reasonable.
He advised the vendors to do their business only in designated places.
“We don’t have to waste our time chasing each other out of streets but rather spend our positive energy doing various businesses,” he said.
President Chakwera has since promised the vendors that he will arrange a follow up meeting with them to review on the issues presented.
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