By Dalitso Kampira

Thyolo, October 15, Mana: Thyolo District Council has recruited ten market rangers that will be patrolling the Boma area to stop vendors from selling their merchandise in the street and other undesignated place.

The rangers signed contracts and will work according to the council wish to stop vending along roads at the Boma at the expense of revenue mobilization, which is mostly affected, by the vending outside designated market places.

Thyolo District Commissioner, Hudson Kuphanga told Malawi News recently during clean up exercise that the council does not tolerate street vending hence recruitment of rangers to deal with the problem once and for all.

“To curb street vending, we have employed ten market rangers to maintain order among vendors conducting business along the streets and on council premises. These rangers will begin their duties soon,” Kuphanga said, adding that the council will continue with cleaning exercise and will not allow vending induced littering.

He noted that the proliferation of vendors on the streets in undesignated premises promotes littering thereby posing serious health risks to the community.

“We have repeatedly advised the vendors to relocate to the market, but they have defied the orders. We are going to enforce the law and remove them from the streets,” he added.

Kuphanga also noted poor state of the drainage system, which has been blocked by waste, and announced plans to clean the drains.

“We are closely monitoring the situation to prevent disease outbreaks such as cholera. Cleaning the drainage system and relocating vendors into the market are key steps we are taking to protect the public from diseases,” he said.

Thyolo Modern Market Chairperson, Evance Kachingwe, acknowledged the street vending, saying this has been a problem for a long time.

“This issue has been there for a long time; we will support the council to ensure that the vendors are relocated into the market.

“The market has enough space to accommodate those that are currently operating along the streets and near hospital premises,” Kachingwe added.

Thyolo District Council’s Acting Director of Environment and Natural Resources, Mirriam Yona, said the initiation was ideal and relevant, saying this will ensure order and cleanliness at the boma.