Business people plying their trade in cross border in northern region city of Mzuzu have asked government to block Chinese nationals from trading as retailers.
One of the traders Osman Kapida said that the tendency by the Chinese is killing businesses for local traders with small capital.
“We are wondering as indigenous traders that the Chinese nationals are taking over small businesses which should be run by locals,” complained Mr. Kapida.
He said there is need for the government to promote locals to do business in a proper environment.
The concerned Malawian traders are mainly those who buy their goods from countries like South Africa, China and Tanzania.
Mr. Kapida alleged that: “In countries like South Africa and Tanzania, for example, you will rarely come across a foreigner trading as a retailer.
This is very different with Malawi.”
Ministry of Trade Spokesman Wiskis Mkombezi said government cannot just target Chinese nationals because there are also some foreign traders who are selling their goods on retail.
“Government cannot just come up with a decision that can be challenged because there are also some foreign traders, like South Africans who are equally selling their goods on retail,” he observed.
