The once-promising Mkanda New Flea Market in Mchinji has become a symbol of vandalism and theft, with vendors refusing to occupy the facility where the government invested K250 million in 2019 to construct the infrastructure.

The state-of-the-art market, intended to boost local trade and revenue, now stands empty—highlighting the challenges of mismanaged public projects.

If you talk of storage facilities, sanitation systems, and secure brick wall fences, the Mkanda Flea Market has them all—except electricity.

Challenges Facing Vendors

Clever Kamuzu, chairperson of Mkanda Market, says it is pathetic for the facility to remain idle for nearly seven years.

Kamuzu argues that vendors have cited several reasons for their reluctance to occupy the market, including inadequate consultation and delayed electricity connection.

He explained: “Many feel the council failed to involve them in the planning process, leading to unmet expectations and unresolved issues.”

For Kamuzu, the authorities must address infrastructure issues and ensure the market becomes functional.

Blessings Winstone Banda, a local trader running an agro-business at Mkanda Market, insists the council must hold consultations with traders to address concerns and involve them in decision-making.

He said: “The current status is punitive to traders who had high expectations of profiting from their businesses after investing heavily during construction.”

Revenue Loss for the Council

White Musha, former councilor for Mchemani Ward, says the council is losing significant revenue due to the market’s inactivity.

On average, the council collects around K1.5 million weekly from market fees at the old market. This translates to approximately K6 million lost each month because the new facility remains non-functional.

Face of Vandalism

The market has become a hotspot for vandalism, frequently attracting looters.

In 2025 alone, eight arrests were made, according to Mchinji Police Station spokesperson Limbani Mpinganjira.

Mpinganjira said: “Out of the eight arrested, six were released on court bail due to insufficient evidence.”

The remaining two were convicted and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour by the Mchemani Second Grade Magistrate’s Court sitting at Mkanda.

Community Outcry

Traditional Authority (TA) Mkanda says the non-functionality of the new market pains her most, given the business opportunities being lost in the area.

She added that the current market is prone to accidents, while the new market had offered hope of addressing such threats to human lives.

The traditional leader further noted that a lack of ownership has resulted in vandalism and theft.

Leah Mkanasi, former vice chairperson of the Mkanda Area Development Committee (ADC), expressed frustration: “It baffles me that the market is idle, with structures being vandalised at will years after construction.”

She blamed the council for failing to involve local communities at the onset of the project, despite the facility having raised hopes of boosting trade and development.

Council’s Position

Engineer Elis Tembo, Director of Public Works for Mchinji District Council, says authorities are waiting for funds to carry out maintenance works.

He explained: “At the moment, a contractor has already been identified to fix the market, where vendors specifically asked for electricity connection and road construction.”

Expert Opinions

Accountability commentator Willy Kambwandira describes the market as a textbook case of systemic public finance failure, where capital investment is prioritized for political optics.

Kambwandira, who heads the Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency (CSAT), says: “Seeing the facility lying idle since 2019 is not just inefficiency but a form of economic sabotage, depriving citizens of services while exposing public assets to vandalism and theft.”

He suggested mandatory post-completion audits and personal liability for controlling officers responsible for idle or mismanaged projects.

He warned: “Without visible punishment for negligence and corruption, besides strengthening community-level asset protection, such projects will continue to be monuments of waste and impunity rather than development.”

A Billion-Kwacha Question

The current status of Mkanda Flea Market in Mchinji clearly highlights the arrogance of duty bearers who implement projects without consulting beneficiaries.

Millions of taxpayers’ money are being spent on infrastructure projects that remain non-functional.

Now, the billion-kwacha question is: can the government, through the council, revive the market by addressing these concerns?

Or was K250 million spent merely to attract looters to vandalise the facility?