Mutharika cautions vendors to take care of country’s markets
President Prof. Peter Mutharika on Thursday cautioned vendors in the country to take extra care of the country’s markets for government not to keep on losing money in rehabilitating them.
Mutharika said many markets in the country are destroyed fires that starts because of negligence in putting off fires used various purposes and electrical appliances which are left when markets close.
Mutharika made the call at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe when he hosted vendors from Lilongwe markets as well as Kasungu.
He said it is ideal that vendors put off all the fire before they go to their respective homes to avoid incidences of fire in our markets.
Said Mutharika; “Let us all take care of our markets by putting off all fires before we go back to our homes so that we avoid incidences of fire gutting our markets.”
According to the Malawi leader, government will always strive to see the vendors excelling in their businesses by providing them with a conducive environment for business and loans for capital.
“My government will strive to provide you with the necessary support that you need for your businesses.
“I have learnt with concern that some vendors do not want to go and do business in designated markets that government constructs. For example in Zomba, vendors do not use the market that government built simply because they say it is not good.
“This is bad and I think it is time that before building a market, government should consult with market leadership to avoid such incidences,” he said.
According to Mutharika government is negotiating with African Development Bank (ADB) to provide Malawi with money to be disbursed as loans to vendors for boosting their businesses.
On his part, chairperson of Lilongwe vendors Mark Namponya asked President to consider building a state of the art market in Lilongwe.
“Your Excellency, I am failing even to speak here because you seem to know most of our problems because what I thought I will ask you, you have already said it.
As you have already said about good markets, let me ask you your Excellency to consider constructing the state of the art market In Lilongwe as this is the capital city of Malawi,” he said.
Namponya further commended the president for the initiative to consider providing vendors soft loans for improving their businesses.
Recently, President Mutharika also hosted vendors from Blantyre and Zomba.
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The President has taken a good positive step to address vendors But I think the male vendors are marginalising the women vendors. What about the women who sell vegetables?. I guess they are also vendors and they should be included in the team of vendors when such audiences are granted. otherwise women vendors are being marginalised here.
Suggestion: install fire detectors and alarms to sound notification of fire before it spreads. Train people to know how to put off fires and have enough latest equipments. Am one of those techs but am putting fires in RSA. If you need me am more ready.