Mzuzu vendors criticise DPP over illegal vending

Vendors in Mzuzu last week criticised the Democratic Progressing Party (DPP) for allowing people to do their businesses in undesignated places.

The party held a meeting with about 400 female vendors where it disbursed cash amounting to K3 million and party regalia.

After the meeting, the party led the women in a convoy to the undesignated places where they were told to do their businesses freely, a situation which angered other vendors in designated selling points,  especially those in Mzuzu Central Market which has 14 sections and over 6 000 traders.

Speaking at a news briefing, Mzuzu Central Market vice-chairperson Edward Majaliwa, asked the party to withdraw its remarks.

He said the vendors had given the party one week to reverse its decision, or they would hold a peaceful demonstration against political interference into city council affairs.

Majaliwa said: “The governor alleged that the party cloth came from President Peter Mutharika. We, therefore, wonder if the President is the one who endorsed the “vend freely” decision. If that is the case, then they should demolish all these market structures and allow all of us to sell anywhere.”

However, DPP Northern Region governor Kenneth Sanga said people were just politicising the issue, adding that “we were only appealing to the council to provide space for female vendors”. n