Festive season brings prosperity to Katima Mulilo Open Market

Katima Mulilo Open Market vendors have baptised the festive season their money-making season.

The market, which has about 300 traders, is situated at the heart of the town and is known to be busy.

It attracts people from all over due to the variety of goods and services it offers.

Holidaymakers flock to the market mostly for Zambezi bream – which is one of the main attractions – whether it is fresh, dry, or cooked.

While enjoying local cuisine for lunch, one can also do one’s hair, buy locally made crafts, beans, maize, traditional medicine, traditional attire, and dry meat, or you can get your garments adjusted by the readily available tailors.

Vendors who spoke to The Namibian yesterday said they breathe a sigh of relief during the festive season as they make massive profits that sustain them throughout January and February.

Food vendor Theresah Mabuku said for the past 15 years, since she started selling food, December has been a peak season for her as she makes twice the amount of money she invests in her business.

Mabuku said the bream is her best-selling food and on a good day, she can sell about 50 of them, which she normally serves with a scoop of pap and traditional vegetables.

“Business has always been good in December, so much so that I wish we could have three Decembers in a year. For the past two weeks, I have managed to make over N$3 000 and I am expecting to triple that starting this weekend,” she said.Young vendor Lameki Nanzila said selling beans, cassava, water lily roots, mutete, onions, and tomatoes earns her N$1 500 in an ordinary week.
However, she added that for the past two weeks of December, her income has increased as she made over N$4 000.
“I sincerely cannot complain as business is going well.

I make most of the income from beans, tomatoes, and dry vegetables that I sell for N$10 a pack,” she said.

Fresh meat vendor Erica Lyamupu said she manages to sell one head of cattle in one day, however, from the weekend onwards, she hopes to sell at least three head of cattle a day.

“Business is going well because meat is in high demand during the festive season.

My customers are not only the food vendors but also residents who make a turn to buy pieces to prepare at home.

I make about N$4 300 from one cattle in a day.

A business person cannot tell me that they don’t make money in December because there are a lot of customers,” she said.

A firewood vendor, Matengu Simataa, said he expects to exceed sales with over N$15 000, compared to other months, in December as people stream to his stand to buy heaps of firewood. He said the firewood he sells for N$25 per bundle finishes in a day.

“Firewood is in high demand, so I expect to exceed my target for December,” he said.

Traditional mat vendor Annety Numwa said for the past two weeks she has been going home with no less than N$600 business is good.

“It’s the festive season, so traditional mats made of reeds are popular among locals that use them for multiple purposes around their homes.

Therefore, I really can’t complain about the income I am making and I intend to maximise this opportunity,” she said.

A local customer, Mwaka Sinvula, says whenever she comes to town, she has to visit the market to indulge in eating bream and pap before she can run her errands.

“Basically, one cannot go elsewhere in town other than the market if you want a decent meal for lunch and it’s cheap. My grandmother also sends me to buy her beans or other traditional food here.

They really sell everything,” she says. A farmer, Benjamin Maemeko, says he frequents the market to buy salt and other medicine for his livestock at cheaper prices whenever he is in town.

“I also stock up on fresh vegetables and maize seeds to plant,” he says.