Business came to a standstill on Wednesday in Lilongwe after Vendors who lost their product in the fire that gutted down Tsoka market engaged in running battles with the Police demanding their colleagues who were plying their trade along the streets to stop.
The vendors claimed that it was not time for other Vendors to be doing business but rather join them in mourning.
The fire victims then took to the streets to deal with anyone found plying trade amidst their calamity. The rioting vendors also burnt some vehicle tyres .
Speaking in an interview with a local media house in the country, one of the Vendors who was amongst the rioting Vendors said: “We will not accept that anybody does business when we cannot. Until government spells a sensible way forward, nobody will conduct his trade in this part of town”.
The development forced the police to intervene by firing teargas to disperse the angry Vendors to calm down the situation.
The fire that started on Tuesday night destroyed properties worthy millions of Kwacha.
Later in the afternoon President Professor Peter Mutharika visited the marked and assured the Vendors that government will not leave them alone.
Meanwhile the real cause of the fire is yet to be established as investigations are underway.
