Vendors in Mzuzu City on Tuesday staged a protest and gave government seven days to address their grievances that include banning foreign nationals from retail trade.
Led by their chairperson Alexander Sikwese, the vendors marched to Mzimba North District Office in Mzuzu and presented a petition that also demands that foreign nationals stop operating in residential areas and cease running small outfits such as barber shops. They also decried the presence of “too many” police roadblocks and dilapidated road networks.
In the petition, the vendors also accused the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) of overcharging taxes on their goods, demanded an end to the Affordable Inputs Programme and that instead the government should reduce the cost of farm inputs so that everyone can afford.
During their march from the M1 at Zigwagwa Market, some of the vendors carried a coffin depicting that they were almost dying due to the challenges they face every day while others went into town and pulled down flags of the governing Malawi Congress Party.
Speaking after presenting the petition, Sikwese said they will wait for seven days for the authorities’ response after which they will hold vigils and close shops belonging to foreign nationals.
He said: “Why should foreign nationals be allowed to sell things at retail price? We understand they have both retail and wholesale licences and we want government to revoke the retail one to give us opportunities.
“If they don’t revoke that, we will go [after] them. In other cities, prices for bales of second hand clothes have gone down, but not here! Why? If they don’t reduce, we will go after them. We also don’t want numerous roadblocks [when] locations need police for security.”
Mzimba North District Office social worker Goodwell Kalimanjira, who received the petition, said while some demands require short-term resolution, there are those that will take longer to be resolved.
In a separate interview, Minibus Owners Association of Malawi chairperson Coaxley Kamange said the police mount roadblocks every 500 metres across the city’s roads, with the most concerning issue being their apparent targeting of minibuses and vehicles with red registration plates for hire or carrying passengers.
In an interview on Tuesday, National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said it would be premature to respond to the issue at this time, as the petitions were submitted to the district commissioner’s office.
When contacted, Minister for Trade and Industry Vitumbiko Mumba said President Lazarus Chakwera issued a directive when he was in Mzuzu and the ministry’s director of legal services is finalising the legal matters on complaints that foreign-owned shops were selling on retail, instead of wholesale.
“I even told the vendors’ leadership, not just in Mzuzu, but also in Lilongwe, Zomba, Blantyre and Limbe that we will need about three to four months to finalise the matter.
On March 4 2025, the vendors met President Lazarus Chakwera where they also presented similar challenges.
