Latest news from street vendors in Malawi

18 May 2006

Latest news

Malawian president Binga wa Mutharika recently gave street vendors in three major cities in Malawi a deadline to vacate their operations in the city centre. Vendors were requested to move to flea markets constructed by the government in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre by April 18 2006.

Informal economy organisations such as War on Want's partner organisation the Malawi Union for the Informal Sector (MUFIS) have expressed concern over the lack of consultation with street vendors over the removal exercise and the use of force by the government to move vendors.

In early May we visited the area where street vendors were moved to in Lilongwe, and we have assembled a gallery showing the situation in this area.