Panga-wielding thugs yesterday took to the streets of Mzuzu City to disrupt planned demonstrations by vendors pushing for the resignation of three Cabinet ministers for purportedly failing to address their grievances.
By 9am, the hoodlums brandishing pangas and other weapons, some of them with painted faces,’patrolled’ the M1, especially around Vigwagwa Market near Mzuzu Airport. They were overheard telling the gathered protesters that there would be no protests.
Ironically, armed police officers helplessly watched as the thugs took charge of the show.
Sensing danger, the vendors retreated, but later regrouped with some young men who also carried weapons, forcing the earlier group to leave the streets.
Later, police negotiated with the vendors’ leadership and ferried them to Mzimba North District Commissioner’s office to present their petition.
Among others, the vendors want Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture Richard Chimwendo Banda, Minister of Trade and Industry Vitumbiko Mumba and Minister of Homeland Security Ezekiel Ching’oma to resign for allegedly failing to deal with their grievances.
The vendors contend that the three Cabinet ministers have failed to address their long standing concerns such as revoking retail business licences of foreign traders and reducing prices of maize, fertiliser, sugar and other groceries.
After presenting the petition to Mzimba North District Council director of administration Mercy Ghambi, Mzuzu vendors overall chairperson Alexander Sikwese said their grievances date back to their engagement with President Lazarus Chakwera in March this year.
He said: “It is unfortunate that politicians are using our peers to foil vendors’ demos. The same politicians will soon come to us, begging for our votes.”
In the petition, the vendors also demanded tax reduction on spare parts for vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles and expediting rehabilitation works on the M1 from Mzuzu to Karonga.
Speaking after receiving the petition, Ghambi said she will deliver it to relevant authorities, but indicated that the council has been engaging the vendors in dialogue over the stated issues.
In a written response yesterday, Ching’oma said the vendors were yet to communicate with his office on the issues that concern his ministry.
Ministry of Trade and Industry in May pleaded with vendors in Mzuzu to be patient, saying government was moving to address their concerns.
National Police spokesperson Peter Kalaya said yesterday they deployed officers early morning for the safety of both demonstrators and businesspersons, adding that they did not receive any report of violence or injury.
He said: “Only that the situation was tense when some individuals, allegedly business owners, claimed to be protecting their businesses while carrying offensive weapons on one side and the said vendors-demonstrators, also armed on the other.”
Meanwhile, Public Affairs Committee spokesperson Gilford Matonga said they will follow up on the commitments that the police made at the recent all-inclusive conference to understand why the chaos has persisted until now.
