. Chisopa

By SYLVIA MWEETWA? –
SOME traders at New Kasanda Market in Kabwe have threatened to vacate the shops following the council’s decision to increase levies from K255 to K1, 600 per month.
The traders, who also marched to council offices, yesterday threatened to strip naked in protest against the fees which they described as unfair.
Those talked to outside the market said it was unfair for the council to increase the operations and fire services levies from K255 to K1, 600 without engaging them in dialogue.
The traders said the new levies were too high as they were not making huge profits.
The traders said it was unfair to leave the street vendors to continue trading on the streets free of charge, while imposing huge levies on few traders who have opted to remain in the market.??They further asked the Provincial Administration to take interest in what was happening at the council.
A visit at the market found more than 20 shops closed including restaurants, salons and hardware shops.
The traders said they had not refused to pay for the services but that the increment should be reasonable to attract people to go back and trade at the market.
They claimed that the market had no toilet facilities and fire services and wondered why they had to pay for such services.
Meanwhile, Central Province Minister Davis Chisopa has called for calm acas his office investigates the matter.
Mr Chisopa said he would see to it that a lasting solution was found and that Government was committed to the cause of the underprivileged who wanted to better their lives through entrepreneurship skills.
Efforts to get a comment from Kabwe Town Clerk, Oliver Muuka and public relations manger Anna Mumba failed by Press time.