Four years of struggles between the Nsanje District Council and vendors have ended.  This is a story about construction of a new market in Nsanje which the government through the District Council is building for the benefit of the people.

Even though, the development looks to be a benefit to vendors; some vendors at Nsanje old market have been resistant to remove from the old market to pave the way for the construction of a new markert.

This has been so for about four years since some vendors were demanding for very unrealistic compensation inorder to move out.

Fatsani Mkunga a dry fish vendor at Nsanje market told FaceofMalawi that Vendors are not against the construction of new market but are asking government through the District Council to compensate them.

“We are happy that we will have new market but what want from Government is to compensate us because we built shops in this (former) market with money” Mkunga said.

“The construction work has started as you can see. We feel that the construction will not take long as the land which we have been located to build our temporary shelters is far from our customers.

K236million money will be used to construct Nsanje market.

Chairperson of Nsanje District Council, Mabvuto Kamba said the council was happy that the construction works have started, noting that the new market would provide people in the district with the much needed facilities and create a conducive environment for doing business.

“This project is a milestone for the district, as far as development is concerned. You may be aware that it has taken the council four years for the construction to start due to the resistance that was there with vendors demanding very unrealistic compensations,” Kamba said.

Nsanje is the southernmost district in Malawi and lies in the Lower Shire River Valley. It straddles the Shire River in the north (the river forms most of Nsanje’s eastern boundary) and is surrounded by Mozambique. People in the area earn more through fishing, farming and business.