People of Blantyre South East Constituency have asked Blantyre City Council to construct a market in the area.

Currently, traders sell their merchandise along a railway line which is earmarked for rehabilitation.

In an interview on Wednesday, Njanji Market chairperson Bernard Banda said in 2016 community members raised money to buy land to construct a market.

He said Chigumula Ward councillor Wild Ndipo, who is Blantyre City Council mayor, allegedly took the money and used it to construct Chimaliro Clinic without their knowledge.

Traders sell fish along the railway line

Said Banda: “We were surprised to learn that the money we raised was only K800 000 and that it was used to construct a clinic.

“We want a market because we know anytime we will be stopped from using this market once the railway rehabilitation works are completed.”

A trader Margaret Tawula said they cannot go to BCA market because there is no space; hence, the request for the market. 

But Ndipo said he used his own money to top up the K200 000 community members raised to construct a clinic which cost K800 000.

“As a council, we do not recognise Njanji Market. We had plans to relocate the traders to a safer place, but the land was already occupied by the Ministry of Lands,” he said.

Blantyre District Council spokesperson Deborah Eliot acknowledged the people’s concerns, but said the council does not collect fees from the market.

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