Vendors, Marketeers and Traders optimistic that presidential empowerment fund initiative will continue

Traders, who benefited from the presidential empowerment fund initiative, have testified that their businesses have greatly improved. 

Association of Vendors, Traders and Marketeers of Zambia president Fredrick Tembo said the association was therefore optimistic that re-election of President Edgar Lungu will enable the empowerment fund to continue. 

Mr. Tembo said his association was hopeful that the initiative will be extended to other marketeers that did not benefit before the 2016 elections.

ZANIS reports that Mr. Tembo said this at a press briefing held in Ndola today. 

He further said the association will engage the newly elected local government leaders to ensure that there was cleanliness in markets in the Copperbelt province. 

Mr. Tembo said the association executive team will also engage all its members to get their needs of development in their trading areas. 

And speaking at the same briefing, Chifubu market chairman Musonda Mushota said over a 100 marketeers from seven groups at the market who benefited from the presidential empowerment fund initiative, have expanded their businesses. 

Mr. Mushota has since implored government to provide equal job opportunities for all Zambians.