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Home / Angolan encroachment angers Omuthiya traders
Angolan encroachment angers Omuthiya traders
2018-03-09Staff Report 2 Obrein Simasiku Omuthiya-Local vendors trading at the popular Omatala open market in Omuthiya are discontented with the presence of Angolan vendors who have in recent days swamped the already dirty and overcrowded market, reducing their market share. They further claim Angolans trade close to the road outside the designated market and this prevents clients from reaching their stalls at the market. In addition, they said, most of the foreign traders mainly come from Ondangwa and Oshikango and do not possess any trade permit. “They should go back from where they came from. We do not want them here in our town. On top of that they are even rude,” thundered a local trader during a public meeting with the town council where they requested the authority’s intervention. This is not the first time the vendors complain, but the council is toothless on the matter because of the absence of bylaws. The manager for planning and technical services who said their arms “are cut” pending the implementation of the rules and regulations acknowledged the absence. “At the moment we have no basis to charge them because the policy is not yet implemented, although it has already been drafted and approved by the council and only pending final approval from the minister,” he explained. Meanwhile, the CEO of Omuthiya, Samuel Mbango, used the platform to inform the public regarding the new development of a standard open market and taxi and bus terminal that will soon commence. “We have budgeted N$300,000 towards fencing and land-filling the area earmarked for the market, and taxi and bus terminal. Once this is done some of the traders will be moved as part of the first phase,” explained Mbango, who also responded to queries of unhygienic conditions at the open market. 2018-03-09Staff Report 2
