PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda will today officially commission the K36-billion New Soweto Market, undoubtedly the capital city’s nerve centre for all marketeers.
Local Government and Housing Deputy Minister Moses Muteteka said in a pre-launch interview in Lusaka yesterday that the Government was excited that the market would finally be launched as it was one of the ways to empower Zambians.
“This is a definite way to put money in the people’s pockets and we are so glad that as a ministry we have achieved such a milestone to give our people infrastructure they can use to better their lives,” he said.
After months of waiting and sometimes acrimony over the allocation of stands in the market, President Banda will today cut the ribbon to officially allow for trading in the 2,100 capacity modern market.
Despite the construction of the new market being over, the trading place could not start operating because of the controversies over stall allocations given the number of applicants.
The interest in the market is high given that as at March 2009, Lusaka City Council had received more than 10,000 applications from traders in the new market, constructed with the help of the European Union.
That should have sent panic into the traders who owned stalls in the old market and partly explains the high number of litigations over the allocations.
LCC public relations officer, Mulunda Habeenzu said in Lusaka yesterday that most of the court cases had been resolved outside court and that the stall allocation had been concluded.
“We are happy that most of the cases have been resolved outside court and now the stall allocation has been concluded,” he said.
Some marketeers spoken to yesterday expressed happiness with the opening of the market.
Regina Mwaka, a fish trader, said she was happy that the market was finally being commissioned.
[Times of Zambia]
Why can’t the Minister himself do the commissioning? Everything its President, President, ………..
Similar market in Kitwe – Nakadoli – since lauch pipo are still trading outside and the market is empty inside, i wonder what wil happn with New Soweto. NOTED!!!
# 2 You can say that again.
Kwashala uku cita commission toilet yapa chisokone
Watch my words- this won’t be “new” for long as we’re really bad in maintenance.Really,what in Lusaka is well maintained even office buildings? Am happy but fearfull this place will be “unwalkable” in a few years.
I totally agree with you No.1 what job does the Minister of Local Government has if all the markets are being opened by the Head of State. It is simply incredible! There are more serious issues for RB to tackle such as high unemployment levels, poor road infrastructure national wide than opening a market. Let us be serious pa Zed!!
Commissioning a market is a job of a permanent secretary in the ministry of local government. Alternatively, a mayor can do.
Where is this New Soweto Market. At the same place the Israelis built one for Kafupi? The picture above shows a gloomy place. Couldn’t they find modern architects who could have given us something contemporary?
I don’t know if it’s only me but the so called “new structures” in Zed, especially malls all look like Manda Hill. The yellow/brown and some green looking stuff. Makes me feel like there is only one or a few people behind all this.
RB to commission New Soweto Market …. in a speech read on his behalf….?
Poor Zambian marketeers will resale or rent out there stalls to Congoleese and Rwandiese nationals.
Then they will be back vending along cairo road.
So this is the biggest market ever in Zambia? shame!
#11, nimukanwa nkokwele, pantu they are all over freedom way
Strikes me as childish for a president to always be the one to commission this and that petty project. Anyway ba Kaunda was the same, so this current president is basically emulating what he learned from wamuyayaya, who was always on the front and all the rest of pages of all the newspapers, radio and television.
There is nothing wrong for the president to comission a market.What is the minister himself invited him to do so? pleasde Zambian!!!
#8. Stone-age structures in Zambia is my worry, too. Is this what our architects go for 4 years at UNZA for? The market I saw in Gaborone in the late 80s is by far better than all markets in Zambia. My other worry is- Is Soweto the only place for heaping up markets. Can’t our town planners recommend spacing out these markets to de-congest central Lusaka. Have our so called city fathers (or at least architects) ever lived overseas, South Africa, or Botswana? I think its important that this people are sponsored for holidays in those organised countries to go and learn a bit of standards.
right now RB is commissioning the new soweto market and downtown lusaka is agog with pomp and splendour. this is what you call development and this is what gives you votes. you can criticise and insult but we are catching the attention of voters. pipo have braved the rains to witness this wonderful moment much to the annoyance of bakabolala and pompwes
AND CAN ANYONE IN THE KNOW EDUCATE ME ON THE JOB SPECIFICATION/DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF ZAMBIA. IS COMMISSIONING A HOUSE-WARMING PARTY ALSO INCLUDED IN HIS ACTIVITIES? I AM BUILDING A PIT-LATRINE FOR A FEW RESIDENTS IN A CERTAIN PART OF THE COUNTRY. I THINK HE CAN TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EVEN CAMPAIGN BY COMING TO COMMISSION THE TOILETS. HE CAN EVEN TEST THEM IF THEY ARE WORKING PROPERLY.
yes RB has openned the market but sata will never have even a chance to open an ablution block in chatulika village. Sata will never be given a chance to open even a small market in mpika. these are votes for MMD. dont cheat pipo bangwele imwe we dont eat promises but believe in what we see. ba PF continue to be in alice wonderland us we remain in zambia
I DON’T SEE WHEELED BINS OR SKIPS PLACED STRATEGICALLY BY THE MARKET STALLS- WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO BE PUT IN PLACE FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY SAKE? WHAT ABOUT THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FOR EACH STALL/STAND? HAVE THEY BEEN PLACED INSIDE STALLS, ALREADY?
Can this President come and offically commission the new house that i have bought here so he can leave the minister of local government do his job!
Ha ha Peter 17, I like the tasting part.
Iwe Banda campaign na kumaketi kose, am not suprised coz to him its great archievement and soon u will hear he owns the soweto toilets .wait and see
‘Constructed with the help of European union’ i bet he was given £10m and has just spent £2m and the rest…………………….manda manda
Meanwhile rhis fool chi Sata will be DCEC then to High Court
#17 PF JEALOUSY – Yes there is rain, but the crowds you are talking about are the usual MMD Chitenge clad good for nothing. Iam right now talking to my duaghter at Evelyne Hone.
Thats why we don’t develop because everything is waiting for the president to act upon. How many markets will RB commission? Why can’t he allow a mayor , a minister etc to commission markets and roads? When is he going to commission Manda Hill? Will the Boers allow him to commission it?
MMD HAS DONE IT AGAIN, OUR PEOPLE CAN NOW HAVE MORE MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS AS THEY WORK. WORK = MONEY IN THE POCKETS
Non of you has said something sensible, all your points are not for the idea of a new thing, i’m not MMD, but a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, so i’m happy with a new small development. If you feel you have something better to offer to the our country, stand up and let us know, be a man and show us what you have got, i’m by your side, will be the first one to vote for you, not showing yourself here wen we don’t even know you. Stop being a coward and let your ideas be seen in public, because of this, we will neva remove MMD in 2011, believe you me its winning! unless you bring these ideas to the public !
#25DEJAVU THEN EVEN PF CADRES ARE CLAD IN MMD GARB BUT AS #28 JUSTICE1 SAYS WHY DONT YOU SHOW GRATITUDE WERE ITS DUE. THIS MARKET IS STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BCOS MAKETEERS USED TO TRADE FROM MAKESHIT DIRTY SURROUNDINGS NO TOILETS WITH CHOLERA LURKING IN THE BACKGROUND. THEIR WAS NO MARKET AT SOWETO NOW WE HAVE ONE. YOU WILL NEVER REMOVE MMD WITH SUCH LUMPEN MENTALITY. CAN ANYONE IN HIS RIGHT SENSES CONDEMN SUCH AN INVESTIMENT
This is EU funds, so donors pack up and go!!!!! But some pipo are so shameless.