CHARCOAL TRADERS ‘CELEBRATE’ LOAD SHEDDING

NCHIMUNYA CHIDAKWA writes

@SunZambian                                        

WHILE many Lusaka dwellers complain about the inconveniences the current load shedding by ZESCO has brought on them, the charcoal traders are excited about the unprecedented business boom.

The charcoal traders talked to in some parts of the capital city said the recently intensified power load shedding had motivated their business.

At the Garden Chilulu area, the traders observed that unlike in the past, people were now buying more charcoal and at shorter intervals due to the heightened load shedding scheduled.

In an interview with the Sun, Ndiyo Silume, a charcoal traders at the Garden Chilulu area, said the business was more active and profitable now than it was prior to load shedding.

 “I started this business in 2005 but I have never seen a time when the charcoal has been so much in demand as is the case now,” he said.

“It’s good at the moment, and we do not worry much about paying our rentals, children’s school fees and feeding the family,” said Mr Silume who orders his charcoal from the farms in the kabwe rural area.

Jackson Sikawangwa, another charcoal trader at Chilulu, said, “We have so many customers coming to buy charcoal from us, especially those running lodges and restaurants, and even the residents. They are giving us good business.”

“This very business is now helping us to raise capital to venture into different other businesses to survive economic hardships,” he said.

And Peter Daka (Not real name), a charcoal trader at Kamanga’s Mulunga Market talked about how the load shedding had boomed his business.

“Nowadays ma customers yapaka chifukwa cha load shedding (I have more customers nowadays because of load shedding).