Vendors chase away DPP top official, blame govt on market fire

Some discontented vendors whose merchandises were destroyed by a fierce fire that gutted Blantyre Flea Market in the wee hours of Monday chased away a senior member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) who went to visit the rubble.

The vendors drove out of the scene the ruling party's National Organising Secretary, Francis Mphepo, after the vendors alleged that they have information the incident was the work of the DPP operatives.

The disgruntled vendors have since dispelled reports that the fire might have been started by street kids who sleep around the market.

Mphepo, who is also President Bingu wa Mutharika's political advisor,  was whisked away from the scene by well wishers after some irate vendors shoved him around while wanting to leave on him some few punches.

Mphepo: Chased

The DPP senior politician was among some members of President Mutharika cabinet ministers who had gone to the scene to condole the affected business people who lost their goods in the inferno.

The vendors claim that DPP operatives carried out the operation after realising that majority of the vendors were in support of the Wednesday, September 21, vigil which is being organised by the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

"We have some information leading us to the cause of the incident. Sources within the party ranks have told us that the party wants to disrupt the attention of the vendors so that instead of taking part in the vigils they should be busy mourning their lost goods," said one vendor who identified himself as Jafali and sells electrical appliances.

Another vendor said the people behind the move want to  hide  behind the street kids who have no voice to speak for them so that they conceal the issue.

"If it's the street kids whose duty is it then to keep them out of the street or send them to rehabilitation centres? They are able to remove vendors in the streets but why are they failing to do the same with the street kids, we know it's just a ploy," he said.

The vendors were even furious with President of the Indigenous Business Association of Malawi (IBAM),  Mike Mlombwa who after visiting the area openly told the vendors "we tell you to be supporting government, you see now what is happening."

However, Minister of Information and Civic Education Patricia Kaliati has accused the CSOs for the incident saying "this is their Plan B they have been talking about their failed vigil."

On Monday afternoon, leaders of the Blantyre Flea Market vendors committee were scheduled to meet the Blantyre City Council Chief Executive Officer Ted Nandolo for the way forward on the issue.

Meanwhile, some politicians and government representatives who visited the scene have called for an urgent need to establish a Trustee Fund in order to raise money to assist the affected vendors.

Among the first people to visit the place to condole the traders were United Democratic Front (UDF) Vice President Humphrey Mvula in the company of other party officials like Moses Dossi and Ken Msonda.

The Information Minister has since said government would by all means assist the vendors whose goods were lost in the accident so that they return to business.

Meanwhile, police have arrested a 12-year-old street kid for interrogation in connection with the accident, which came only a day after another fire burnt 18 shops at Tsoka Flea Market in the capital Lilongwe.

Tens of streets kids seek shelter under the bridge of Mudi River that passes between the Blantyre Flea Market and the main Blantyre City Market.

There has been an increase  in arson attacks on properties belonging to government critics. Offices of activist Rafiq Hajat’s Institute for Policy (IPI) in Blantyre and a house belonging acting Executive Director of the Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC), the Rev. MacDonald Sembereka, in the southern district of Balaka, were torched by petrol-bomb.

Nyasa Times 20 Sep, 2011

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Source: http://www.nyasatimes.com/blog/2011/09/20/vendors-chase-away-dpp-top-official-blame-govt-on-market-fire/
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