Cha Cha Cha marketeers protest against razing of structures

Cha Cha Cha marketeers protest against razing of structures
By Mutuna Chanda
Sunday June 22, 2008 [04:00]

TRADERS with makeshift stalls at Cha cha cha market yesterday protested at the Lusaka City Council’s decision to raze their structures. Police officers from Lusaka Central police station had to be called in to quell the mini-protest that forced most shops on the southern and western side of Cha Cha Cha Market to close prematurely.

The traders, some of whom were salvaging the remains of their makeshift stalls on the southern part of the market which has since been modernised, complained that they had lost property worth millions of kwacha.

Market chairman Damiano Chibambo expressed dismay at the conduct of the local authority and wondered why it had acted in such a manner when the traders had never resisted being moved.

He said the traders had always cooperated ever since the establishment of modern structures at the market began years ago.

He said the local authority communicated to the market officials two months ago on the traders leaving the area and that the officials responded that they would be able to leave once the contractors were ready to start works on the area.

He said the market officials even communicated with the contractor responsible for building the remaining part of the market who indicated that they still had four months before they could be told to move; a response the officials forwarded to the local authority.

He however expressed surprise that the local authority on Friday issued a circular which was dispatched around 18:00 hours and that by 21:00 hours the structures were being razed.

One of the traders Francis Chileshe claimed he had lost 200 cell phones.
Another trader Felix Mbuluma complained that he lost his hardware goods worth an estimated K11.5 million.