Zambian leaders calls for calm after flea market fire

Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Tuesday called for calm and allow security wings to conduct thorough investigation following a fire that swept through a popular and biggest flea market in Lusaka, the country's capital.

Fire swept through City Market located west of the central business district in the early hours of Tuesday, destroying hundreds of shops owned by small traders.

The market has about 400 shops.

Security wings are investigating all possible areas of wrong doing in this matter, the Zambian leader said in a speech released by his office.

He further called on citizens not to involve themselves in any retaliatory actions but warned that all those engaged in acts of sabotage will be brought to justice.

"We'll find you wherever you are hiding. The long arm of the law will not fail Zambians in this endeavor," he said.

According to police spokesperson Esther Mwaata-Katongo, preliminary investigations revealed that the fire started from one of the shops on the southern part of the market.

She said a combined team of firefighters managed to put out the fire.

According to her, this was the second such incident after a fire swept through another market in Misisi Compound, south of the city around midnight on Monday, which affected seven traders.

"Investigations in both cases have since been instituted and we are yet to establish the cause of the fire and quantify the damage caused," she said.

Vice-President Inonge Wina who visited the market called the incident an act of economic sabotage.

Most of the traders complained that their only sources of income had gone up in flames.

The incident came after the police warned that they had intelligence information that some criminal-minded people were plotting to destroy public properties such as electricity facilities, bridges and telecommunication facilities.

Last Saturday, over 10,000 households in Ndola city were left in darkness after unknown people destroyed electricity facilities.

There has been tension in Zambia since last year's disputed elections. The situation was worsened following the arrest of leading opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema who has been charged with treason.

Source: Xinhua