Chisokone Market not ideal for trading - Kitwe Mayor

Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang'ombe (L) and kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe (R)
touring Chisokone Market

By Clinton Masumba in Kitwe

Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe has said Chisokone Market in Kitwe is no longer habitable for trading due to the deteriorating infrastructure coupled with poor sanitation.

Mr Kang’ombe undertook his first tour of Zambia’s arguably second largest Market in the Company of Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe to appreciate the challenges being faced by the marketeers.

As usual bad state of the toilets, poor drainage systems and deteriorating infrastructure are among the major challenges that welcomed the two Youthful leaders.

Mr Kang’ombe said the levels of sanitation are very poor and there is need to urgently move in and arrest the situation to make the environment habitable for doing business.

The Local government Association President said the Council will soon move in to provide drainages and make sure that toilets have adequate water supply.

“We have established that the levels of sanitation are very poor, we urgently need to find a way in which we can provide drainages, were water can easily flow. We need to ensure that toilets have adequate water supply.  We want to assure marketeers that the local authority which is collecting money will provide a service to their satisfaction” His Worship the Mayor said.

“We are going to continue collecting garbage; we are going to continue cleaning the facilities so that they are ideal for trading. The office of the District Commissioner and The office of the Mayor is planning an indaba to come up with solutions that will address the challenges being faced by marketeers.

Mr Kang’ombe has appealed to the Marketeers to continue trading despite the market facility not being ideal for doing business.

 “We have discovered that this facility is not ideal for trading, it’s just that people are suffering but in my view we need to improve the state of the market” He added.

“My anticipation is that there is a lot of money which is not reaching the Council, if our cashiers are collecting money and it’s not reaching the council then we have to address that, it is the reason we are calling for an indaba and establish the actual money which is supposed to come out of Chisokone”

Meanwhile, Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe said his office will urgently move in to provide security market and address the issue of Foreigners that have invaded the markets.

“Government will move in to provide security in the market;  we will protect our marketeers, because the informal sector is what government is looking at to contribute to the country’s economical development, we need to protect the sector, there is too much money that can add value to national development” He said

Kitwe Mayor Christopher Kang'ombe and Kitwe DC Chanda Kabwe

And the two District leaders have issued a joint statement regarding superiority in the district.

Kitwe District Commissioner Chanda Kabwe said “we are not interested in who is senior and who has more authority, we are interested in providing services, but we are going to work as a team, anything to do within the district we will work as a team”

And His Worship the Mayor Christopher Kang’ombe said “His Excellency is not interested in politics of seniority, who should report to who, who should sit in which office and drive which vehicle, our purpose is to provide a service”