By Donna Mbalwe
Chingola Town Clerk Kabombo Mutakela has pleaded with the marketeers not to politicise the modernising of Chiwempala market.
Mr Mutakela said the council and the marketeers should work together for the benefit of everyone as government is so much concerned with the infernos in the markets.
“Government is not happy with how markets are being gutted. The policy of modernising markets in most districts in the country is being called ‘build back better’ as it aims to build better than what is already there.
Chiwempala is the biggest market in Chingola and this year was included among the other three markets on the Copperbelt which will be modernised.
And Copperbelt Provincial Local Government Officer Maclleod Nyirenda said Government has no plans to sell Chiwempala market.
Mr Nyirenda was refuting the rumours across Chingola that government has intentions of selling the Chiwempala market.
He was speaking during the 2nd stakeholders’ meeting held in the council Chamber yesterday July 16.
He told the market leadership present that the Patriotic Government had come up with the initiative aimed at benefiting the people.
Mr Nyirenda said people should try to avoid giving false information whenever government comes up with the good initiative.
“Let’s support this good initiative and give government benefit of doubt so that once the project fails, you will be able to say you lied to us. We have some markets in Lusaka which have gone through the same process and I’m proud to announce that marketeers in the same modern markets are benefiting greatly as they are trading in good sanitary conditions and refuse trucks move freely,” he said.
Meanwhile Senior Engineer at the Provincial Housing and Infrastructure Development unit, Cliff Njovu said Government had signed a contract with Sino Hydro Mine to build Chiwempala market.
“But before the contractor moves in, it is important that marketeers be part of the designing of the facility. All we need is marketeers inputs on how they want the market to be designed, hence the call of the 2nd stakeholders’ meeting,” Mr Njovu said.
He notified the market leadership that since the process had just begun, his department had not yet sat down to see the actual time frame for the process of the construction.
