• LUGERETZIA KOOPERVENDORS at the newly-proclaimed Bukalo village, who often face harsh rainy conditions, received a welcome boost on Thursday with the opening of a new permanent shelter.
Situated in the Katima Mulilo Rural constituency, it started improving infrastructure only after its proclamation and the subsequent election of councillors.
The new structure was constructed by Mind Focus Investment, a local construction company, which made it possible to accommodate the vendors who were selling under severe conditions at the old open market.
Speaking at the event, the chairperson of the Bukalo Village Council Charles Siyauya said “the infrastructure would go a long way in assisting the rural poor, especially the hardworking female entrepreneurs, to make a living”.
With these new shelters, the current rain and bad weather would indeed not affect business anymore, he added.
He said although a bigger open market is planned for the village in the near future, the initiative would assist the local marketers who make a living from their daily sales to continue working in a more conducive environment.
Bukalo will soon have two markets. The current one will be an open market meant for the traditional authority. However, there will be another multi-million-dollar open market, which is going to be built by the Bukalo village council.
The multi-million-dollar open market will be for those who are able to pay rent.
“No one should feel left out from trading just because you don’t have money to rent,” Siyauya stressed.
The Masubia Traditional Authority, which also has its headquarters at the village, welcomed the donation.
“It would indeed provide much-needed accommodation for the unemployed vendors, who solely depend on the income they generate from selling.
We appreciate the efforts made by the village council to bring much-needed development to the village, and pledge the continuous support of this traditional authority for future developments to uplift the lives of the residents,” said senior headman Albius Kamwi.
The envisaged state-of-the-art Bukalo Open Market, financed by government through the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, is expected to be one of the biggest in the region.
It is expected to have an amphitheatre, as well as over 200 stalls to accommodate various types of business ventures, while a playground for children would also be constructed.
The Bukalo Village Council is the first to be given village status in the Zambezi region, along with Katima Mulilo being the only urban set-up.
People have expressed the hope that it will be developed into a town soon and offer more services and business opportunities to the rural community.
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