Lumbi-1 Market in Chimbunila District Lacks Conditions: Vendors prefer to sell outdoors

Citizens say the building is suffocating due to its small size. The internal structure does not allow for proper product arrangement or free movement of people.

The poor infrastructure forces vendors to conduct their sales activities on the street, in deplorable conditions for product preservation.

"We are many fish and tomato vendors... We won't all fit inside. It is very cramped, and there is no airflow," said a fish vendor at Lumbi-1 Market.

"It means that if we go inside, others will be left outside. And those outside will sell more than those inside," added a tomato vendor at the site.

Vendors also highlight the risks of selling outdoors due to exposure to the sun and the difficult situation they face when it rains.

"We stay out in the sun all day. When it rains, we run to the neighboring houses. The building is too small to accommodate everyone with their products," lamented one of the vendors.

Food products such as dried fish, vegetables, and other goods are placed on the ground, on plastic bags or cloths, without proper hygiene, which jeopardizes public health. According to reports, the building in question was constructed around three years ago. (Jaime Paculeque)