Hawkers in the Mokolo Market, Yaounde II Sub-division, continue to gnash their teeth as they wait impatiently for an equitable distribution of space in the newly constructed stalls for hawkers.
Since the construction of new stalls, several hawkers are yet to find space to sell their goods while some have moved to other markets or sell along streets in the city. At the Mokolo market on Monday October 29th 2012, the atmosphere was calm. Hawkers and traders could be seen going about their businesses without any problems. What has been the cause for worry is the fact that the new stalls for hawkers are being occupied by traders and not hawkers as was expected.
Mariana O., a hawker said she sells along the roadside because there is not enough space to sell in the stalls. Another trader, Joseph Kenfack who sells clothing said the new stalls have been occupied by traders who are supposed to rent shops in the market. “The stalls are meant for hawkers who come in the morning, sell and in the evening, they take their belongings home. But today, the stalls are occupied by big business people who have turned them to shops,” he said. “The stalls are for hawkers and not for the association of shoe vendors,” said another angry hawker.
The President of the Association of Hawkers in Mokolo, ANESCAM, Oumarou Mbombouo said traders have many complains. He explained that the stalls were constructed for 309 places whereas there are over 10,000 hawkers in the market. He said the problem is that the stalls have been distributed to friends and relations from the same region. “While we are waiting for the equitable distribution of space in the stalls, people have already occupied them. We are the catalysts of the project of the Head of State but we are not in the project,” he said.
According to Oumarou Mbombouo, the Government Delegate to the Yaounde City Council, Gilbert Tsimi Evouna, has promised possible solutions to the problems of hawkers in the days ahead.
