Study exposes sanitation, hygiene gaps in LL markets
A recent study by Mtendere Organisation has exposed serious gaps in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector in various market centres under the Lilongwe City Council (LCC).
The organisation commissioned the study with financial assistance from Tilitonse Fund to entrench good governance, transparency and accountability in financial administration of LCC in Area 23, Chilinde, Chipasula, Kaliyeka and Ngwenya market centres.
The project’s major objective is to increase citizen participation in the operations and administration of revenue collection in market centres under the council’s jurisdiction, particularly those in Traditional Authority Tsabango.
Speaking to vendors during a community scorecard facilitation training at Kaliyeka Full Primary School on Saturday, Lilongwe Vendors’ Association vice-secretary Joseph Matiki disclosed that the majority of market centres in the capital city are operating without water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
He said: “And yet, the council pressurises us to pay fees every day. The council, as our landlord, is supposed to install all necessary water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to ensure we are conducting our businesses in a safe environment. But unfortunately, our council has chosen not to carry out its mandate.”
Matiki also expressed concern over late collection of garbage in strategic locations in the market centres.
He said this is posing a health risk to vendors and their customers as they can easily contract sanitation and hygiene-related diseases such as cholera and dysentery.
A Kaliyeka Market trader, Sellina Joseph, said vendors, especially women, struggle to access toilets, with some arranging with owners of houses closer to the market so that they can be using their pit latrines.
“And if you are allowed to use private pit latrines, you are required to bring water from your home. It is very challenging to us,” said Joseph.
Mtendere Organisation executive director Tarcisio Chilembwe said his orgasation is working with the vendors’ associations to identify shortcomings in the market centres to assist the council iron them out.
He said they will soon be meeting the council authorities to present a report on the issue.
“The aim of this survey was not to find faults, but complement the council’s efforts in addressing challenges that vendors are facing in their economic activities,” Chilembwe said. n
