Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr Ben Phiri, on Tuesday received a heroic welcome from vendors at the newly established Wakawaka Bypass Market, in what many traders described as a moment of long-awaited political intervention in a dispute that has dragged on for more than four years.
Hon Ben Phiri
Dr Phiri’s visit marked a major turning point in a long-standing standoff that dates back to the early 2020s, when Lilongwe City Council issued an executive order banning street vending at St Jones. The affected vendors were later pushed into a small, unsafe trading space that eventually became known as Wakawaka.
Since then, Wakawaka has become synonymous with hardship and insecurity. Vendors—mostly women—have repeatedly complained of sexual assaults, arbitrary fines, daily accidents caused by speeding vehicles, and the loss of lives, all within an environment lacking basic infrastructure and protection.
Following mounting public pressure, government identified a new relocation site along the Bypass, covering about 1.6 hectares. The market was developed under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, where vendors constructed the structures themselves with the understanding that the facility would eventually be formalised.
However, despite the new site being safer and more spacious, relocation stalled as many vendors remained trapped at Wakawaka, citing uncertainty, fear of losing customers, and lack of clear enforcement.
In a surprise move aimed at breaking the deadlock, Dr Phiri personally visited both the old Wakawaka site and the new Bypass Market to assess the situation on the ground.
Chairperson for the new market, Lenard Michombo, said vendors were overwhelmed by the Minister’s presence, describing it as a sign that government was finally taking their plight seriously.
“We are happy and encouraged. But we want action. We ask the Minister to fast-track the closure of Wakawaka and officially open the Bypass Market,” Michombo said.
He added that while some vendors had started trading at the new site, business remained weak because most traders were still operating from Wakawaka.
Addressing vendors, Dr Phiri said the establishment of markets is a legal mandate of government, not individuals, and warned that the continued operation of Wakawaka was illegal.
“No one has the right to run a market outside the law. What is happening at Wakawaka cannot continue. Councils are mandated to create legal, safe and organised trading spaces for our people,” he said.
Dr Phiri revealed that government has already issued official notices to Wakawaka vendors to prepare for relocation and that a roadmap is being developed to ensure a smooth and humane transition.
He also directed Lilongwe City Council and Lilongwe District Council to work jointly to address concerns of people currently occupying the area and ensure that no one is unfairly displaced.
“The plan will follow all laws governing market establishment. It will be fair, just, and transparent. No one will be disadvantaged. This is about restoring dignity, safety and proper service delivery,” he said amid ululation and applause from the crowd.
Political analysts say Dr Phiri’s intervention carries symbolic weight in a city where vendor issues have long been politicised but rarely resolved.
For many traders, his visit represents more than administrative action—it signals recognition, dignity and a break from years of neglect.
“What we saw today is leadership with a human face,” said one vendor. “At Wakawaka we were suffering. Here we have space, safety and hope.”
The success of the relocation now rests on whether government follows through with enforcement and support, or whether Wakawaka remains another example of a policy that collapses under hesitation and political compromise.
