BUJUMBURA May 7th (ABP) – The sanitation of the COTEBU market, located in the Ngagara urban zone of Ntahangwa commune, needs to be improved, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
During a visit made on Monday May 6, 2019 by reporters of the ABP, the finding is that a large heap of garbage from the market is stored in the road located in the west facade of the market.
The gutter that channeled rainwater from the market is completely clogged, full of garbage and nothing justifies its existence. A nauseating odor is felt during the passage to that place.
Above this garbage, the trade is carried out as usual. Merchants of various items such as tomatoes, amaranths, eggplants, cassava leaves (or isombe), oranges and other fruits are forced to sit and put their items on that garbage.
The chairman of the COTEBU market traders, Mr. Gabriel Kabura, deplores this situation of the market and the conditions under which traders are working, namely those whose stands are located next to the garbage storage. Kabura also said that taxes are paid regularly by traders of that market. However, they do not receive what they are entitled to. He also pointed out that trading near garbage, above and beside a nauseating odor, will cause different types of diseases, especially dirt-related diseases to those traders. He wonders who is going to get them treated. The chairman of COTEBU market traders is asking the Mayor of Bujumbura city and the Minister of good governance to visit the COTEBU market to see the conditions under which traders are working. He further stated that traders in that market will one day stop paying taxes if the sanitation issue of that market is not dealt with as soon as possible. Buyers also complain about stocking up items near dirt.
Moreover, the cleaners at the COTEBU market have gone on strike since Wednesday May 1, 2019, said one of them, Mr. Christian Ngendakumana. Those workers, men and women, he said, were hired by a company in charge of hygiene and sanitation in the various markets of the economic capital of Burundi, but have not yet had their salaries, four months ago.
