Marythar Shimwe
KATIMA MULILO – The Katima market which closed for business under the state of emergency has now opened for business for essential products.
Governor of the Zambezi region, Lawrence Sampofu informed vendors selling at the market to keep to the regulations and directives of social distancing.
He asked that this should be observed by those coming into the market as well, these regulations include take away parcels which should be provided as no sit downs will be allowed.
Cooking will not be permitted at the market, therefore food should be cooked at home, he stated. He further said that only essentials will be sold, including fish, meat as well as vegetables.
According to the governor, vendors were supplied with permits as well as cards issued by the town council and he emphasised the importance of ensuring vendors must carry their cards at all times. ‘’Contrabands should not be sold at the market as such items would be confiscated by the police and immigration officials,’’ he stated.
Former mayor of Katima Mulilo Town Council Georgina Mwiya- Simataa gave a donation.
Regional Police Commander, Commissioner Karel Theron informed vendors that travelling permits are only issued when travelling outside Zambezi region. Vendors can travel within the region to buy stock but must always carry their permits indicating the source of their stock such as fish, and the permit number of their supplier’s permit as all legal fish suppliers are issued permits by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources or risk losing their stock, he stated.
According to one of the vendors, she lost N$500 due to the closure of the market as she sells soft drinks, fat cakes, sweets as well as chips.
Although she’s thankful for the opening of the market, it will be difficult to cook food from home as she has no microwave at the market and will therefore not be able to sell warm food.
I always travel to Zambia every Monday to buy fish and send it to Windhoek on Tuesdays and it would arrive in Windhoek on Wednesdays and my customers pay me on Thursday, Said Maimbolwa, one of the fish vendors. “I used to make N$6000 to N$6300 every week, then I buy more stock and feed my family of eight including me, my husband, my five children and my two grandchildren.”
Caprivi Cash and Carry owner Hisham Ahmed, donated 115 reusable face masks, 90 normal face masks as well as 250 disposal hand gloves. We are in the process of donating more reusable face masks to the market, said the businessman.
The chief regional officer Regina Ndopu-Lubinda thanked the town council and the Ministry of Health and Social Services for ensuring the market is ready for operation and asked the vendors to adhere to the regulations, she also thanked the business community such as Kamunu, ABC and Zambezi Auto City for their donations.