Trash has not been removed for over three weeks at the Fish Market in Nacala-Porto

Vendors at the Fish Market in the central market of the Alta neighborhood, in the municipality of Nacala, Nampula province, northern Mozambique, have been living with trash that has not been removed by the Municipal Council for over three weeks.

The vendors say that the solid waste has started to produce a bad smell for both the customers and themselves.

In this context, market users are calling on the responsible authorities to remove the waste, as they continue to pay the daily fee, which the municipality has been collecting.

However, some of our interviewees shared their experiences of living with the trash, which creates a foul odor in the area.

"I’ve been a fish vendor at this market for over 5 years, selling fish in the mornings. What complicates things now is this pile of trash that the municipality hasn’t removed. We pay the daily fee, we’ve spoken to the market manager, but they never provide a solution. We’re even scared to sell because of the bad smell, which drives away our customers," said Mr. Ramadane Assane.

In the same vein, we interviewed a market customer who said, "We’re worried about this situation. It’s scary to come and buy fish here. There are flies everywhere, the smell is awful, and we want fish, but we have to cover our noses to get through. They need to remove the trash."

It’s worth noting that the trash situation inside the markets in Nacala-Porto is not limited to the central market in the Alta neighborhood; the same problem exists at the Idrissa, Mwahoveke, Avenida Angola markets, among others. (Gabriel Cassimo)