Vendors plying their trade in Limbe central business district have expressed concern with exorbitant shop rentals, saying the situation is forcing them to sell merchandise in the open.
In an interview on Wednesday, Limbe Market Vendors chairperson James Willie said the situation was hampering the growth of small-scale traders, many of whom are forced to operate in unsafe and unregulated environments.
He said: “Most of the vendors you see trading along the streets are there because they cannot afford the high prices for shop apartments.
“The majority are small-scale traders who cannot afford rentals of over K200 000 per month.”
Willie has, therefore, appealed to shop owners and property developers to invest in more low-cost shop apartments that can accommodate small-scale traders.
He, however, commended Pacific Limited for constructing Pacific Tower in the heart of Limbe, saying the structure has helped to provide affordable shop spaces.
One of the affected traders, Fabiano Dausi, a scrap dealer, said he has struggled for years to find an affordable shop in Limbe.
He noted that operating without a fixed location makes it difficult for customers to find him and exposes his merchandise to theft.
In a separate interview, Pacific Limited Estate manager Grant Chimenya said the six-storey building was specifically designed to address the challenge of inadequate shop spaces in Limbe.
“We also have an open space within the tower designed as a free market where vendors can display their merchandise,” he said
