LCC demolishes Wakawaka Market

Chaos erupted at Solomon Market, commonly known as Wakawaka Market, in Lilongwe today as police fired tear gas to disperse vendors protesting the overnight demolition of their stalls by the Lilongwe City Council (LCC). The overnight operation, led by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the LCC, was designed to enforce a … The post LCC demolishes Wakawaka Market appeared first on Nation Online.

May 23, 2026 - 11:07

Chaos erupted at Solomon Market, commonly known as Wakawaka Market, in Lilongwe today as police fired tear gas to disperse vendors protesting the overnight demolition of their stalls by the Lilongwe City Council (LCC).

The overnight operation, led by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the LCC, was designed to enforce a relocation of traders to the newly constructed Bypass Market. By morning, the roadside market was reduced to rubble, leaving traders facing devastating financial setbacks.

Market vice-chairperson Martias Jiya stated that the overnight timing caught vendors off guard, preventing them from salvaging their goods, even though they were aware of a court order regarding the area’s relocation.

Jiya alleged that some merchandise, including chickens and Irish potatoes, was looted during the demolition.

Affected vendor Aaron Majawa reported a staggering loss of K5 million after 20 bags of Irish potatoes—delivered just a day prior—were destroyed in the rubble.

In retaliation, vendors set up roadblocks by burning tires along the M1.

The Lilongwe City Council (LCC) has defended the action stating that it was necessary to reclaim an illegal road reserve and pave the way for ongoing M1 expansion.

Affected vendors have since threatened legal action to recover financial losses incurred during the demolition.

LCC public relations officer Kate Chintu acknowledged the impact on traders but maintained that the action was unavoidable.

“We deeply sympathise with the traders and vendors whose livelihoods have been disrupted by this exercise. However, operating in an illegal road reserve is inherently unsafe and unsustainable,” Chintu stated.

Chintu also dismissed claims that a court injunction had delayed the demolition, clarifying that no active legal order had prohibited the market’s closure.

She explained that authorities had deliberately delayed enforcement to allow administrative and legal processes to run their course, while affording vendors and the market proprietor sufficient time to comply with relocation directives.

Furthermore, Chinthu noted that leaving permanent structures within the road reserve posed severe safety risks, disrupted urban planning, and threatened future road infrastructure developments.

She added that the reclaimed land would be restored for public use and encouraged affected vendors to relocate to designated markets to operate legally and safely.

Since its establishment in 2010, the market has faced repeated disputes with city authorities regarding its unauthorised status. In March, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development formally declared the market illegal.

This follows a temporary closure by the LCC in 2023 during the national cholera outbreak, which was enforced due to poor sanitation, a lack of running water, and inadequate toilet facilities. Ultimately, the M1 expansion, sanitation concerns, and the market’s placement within a road reserve have been the primary issues driving the standoff between authorities and the vendors.

The LCC had previously ordered vendors to relocate to a newly-constructed market along the Lilongwe-Bypass by March 31 2026.

However, market leaders and vendor groupings objected the move, arguing that the bypass area was underdeveloped and unsuitable for business. They subsequently obtained a court injunction challenging the relocation exercise.—Additional reporting by Steve Pembamoyo

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