By: Greshum Chikoti – The Conqueror
Traders at Manje Market in Blantyre have told Avant Publications (www.avantmalawi.com), that they want the City Council to take full administration of the market.

This follows an interview with chairperson of the market, Mr. Robert Chelewani, said the market is badly managed by traders themselves.
“There is no any infrastructure to define the place as an official market, and wastes are being dumped everywhere, making our Market to be dirty and impassable during the rainy season.”
Manje market is one of the most famous and highly populated site in Blantyre city. It is the main and a bit a central market for people living in Chiwembe, Quarry, Soche Hill and Che Somba areas, just to mention few.
Maureen Rabson, 25, a trader along Kapeni road described the situation at the market as terrible, with litters being dumped just behind where she plies her trade.
“We had a dumping bin before but it was removed by City council making us vulnerable to hygiene.”
She added “Blantyre City Council ought to take control of full administration and bring proper infrastructure and we as users, we are ready to pay city rentals.”
Random interviews with customers at the market showed that City should quickly address unhygienic and lack of infrastructure challenges faced by the market.
Confirmed reports indicate that Blantyre City Council wanted to build an official market, but the activity was halted due to misunderstanding between Council and some traders over ownership.
Meanwhile, Blantyre City Council’s Public Relations Manager Anthony Kasunda, has promised to meet with relevant department where he will present the request to see the way forward.