Government has officially handed over the magnificent Lunzu Market in Blantyre worth K6144 Million under More Income and Employment in Rural Areas (MIERA) project.

Speaking during the official ceremony on Saturday in Blantyre, deputy minister of Local Government Halima Daud described the German KFW Bank funded market as an essential catalyst in providing socioeconomic environment to boost livelihoods among people living in the rural areas who are the majority of the country’s population.

Said Daud; “This newly constructed modern market will provide farmers, businesses and entrepreneurs with a place and facilities where they can sell their produce and public with a conducive structure to access various products and services and in so doing, Improve their economic status”.

Daud then appealed to Blantyre District Council to come up with ways to make the market exceptional in revenue collection service provision, citizen satisfaction, care and maintenance to ensure a long-lasting structure.

Speaking earlier, Blantyre District Council Chairperson Mussa Chikwakwa said the market has uplifted the face of the district and promised the council will now start raising funds to construct an equally modern bus terminal behind the market.

While appealing to traders to effectively utilize the market, the chairperson also urged the newly elected market leadership to guard facility saying “it is such structures that promote the growth of any economy”.

KFW country director Oliver Gleiss said Lunzu Market was one of the eight markets that had been financed by the bank to a tune of €7 million (K7 billion) with facilitation of the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC).

Other market constructions that have benefited from the project are Sadzi, Goliati, Neno, Nkhatabay, Dyeratu, Chinkhoma and Embangweni.

The MIERA project started in January, 2017 and expected to end December,2020. However, the project was extended by a year due to delayed technical issues.

Story Credits: Loness Gwazanga, District Information Officer, Blantyre