Chakwera visits Area 13 Market after fire damage, insists on vendors insurance

Malawi Congress Party (MCP) president and leader of opposition in Parliament Lazarus Chakwera on Saturday toured Area 13 Market in Lilongwe which had been destroyed by fire last Thursday.

Chakwera: It seems these fires don’t want to part ways with us, and our markets. 

The fire is said to have started around 11pm and it took the Lilongwe City Council (LCC) Fire Brigade some two hours to put out—but only after half the market was destroyed.

Chakwera said he was concerned with the fire in markets  which keep on destroying merchandise  leaving vendors in deep poverty.

He  maintained his proposal that government adopt deliberate measures, including insurance, to help compensate the business community in case of disasters such as market fires, saying that can be “a long-lasting solution.”

Chakwera proposed, among other measures, that local councils should ensure that all registered vendors plying their trade in the country’s main towns and cities be on mandatory insurance policies.

The MCP president gave out a K500 000 cash  donation to help alleviate the pain of the vendors over the loss.

“I know it’s not enough. No donation is, but I just felt I had to do something,” said Chakwera.

Receiving the donation, Area 13 market chair, Chukumbutso Ngwira commended Chakwera, saying he isa vendors friend indeed.

“We are happy with MCP president because he is the fist senior official to visit us here after we lost our goods,” said Ngwira.

Apart from the usual market merchandise displayed either openly or in stalls, the Area 13 Market was home to some 42 mostly make-shift restaurants dotted inside and outside. The restaurants were popular for providing ‘cheap’ meals to customers in the City Centre area.

Lilongwe Police Station publicist Kingsley Dandaula  said police were still compiling details, including the cause of the fire and the damage caused.

LCC publicist Tamara Chafunya said preliminary findings by the city council officials indicate that half the market was destroyed.

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Maunits
Maunits
6 years ago

Atuvituvi ali busy kupanga maproghram otukwana Chakwera pa MBC shame!!!!! and to hell

Nganga
Nganga
6 years ago

Ena ali busy ndi ma foundation stone.

7777999
7777999
6 years ago

Olubwalubwa awa. Trying to please who? Only 500000 donation? Sanudi atha kukuposani. Too much talking. Muuzeni mia

Kunena Mosapsyatila
Kunena Mosapsyatila
6 years ago
Reply to  7777999

Iweyo tulutsa yako ukapereke kwa Amalawi avutikayo. Kumayamika anthu ena akachita bwino.

Omex70
Omex70
6 years ago
Reply to  7777999

Iwe ungapereke ngakhale K1,000? Mmutu mwanu bwana 7777999 mukuoneka kuti mwadzadza ndi ma negatives okha okha.

Kansire
6 years ago

Kumathamangadi kukaona ovutika abwana

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