The Mbelwa District Council in Mzimba district has demolished a number of unused shops at Matabwa market due to the shops being used as toilets and garbage sites by the surrounding community.

This action was taken to prevent the spread of cholera, which has been on the rise in the area.

According to officials from the council’s public works office, Reuben Moyo and the markets committee chairperson, Fikani Nyirenda, the owners of the shops were not adhering to rules for maintaining proper hygiene.

One affected shop owner, Chrissy Shonga, expressed concern about the destruction of her shop, which she had recently spent 800,000 kwacha to construct and planned to rent out.

Mzimba south has recorded four cases of cholera, treated as outpatients, since September of last year.