A month into his reign, President Peter Mutharika is now treading the deep waters as he has ordered police and City Assembly officials to use an iron hand in chasing vendors from the streets next week. The D-Day has been slated for Tuesday, July 8, and all vendors have been advised to stay out of the streets on this day or risk forceful action. However, vendors in Limbe and Blantyre have vowed to engage in running battles with police if they try to evict them from their premises. This government said nothing about chasing us when they were campaigning. They should not think they have used us just to get votes. Let them construct convenient market places if they want us to move. If they cant do their work, they should not blame us for doing what we have to do to make ends meet, said one prominent vendor in Blantyre who did not want to be named. Peters brother, Bingu, had the same running enmity with vendors such that when the nation rose against his rule on July 20, 2012, they were in the forefront in demanding his removal from office.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 14:06:11 +0000