Haut-Katanga: 17,000 Vendors Asked to Vacate Mzée Laurent-Désiré Kabila Market by August 20

The Haut-Katanga provincial government has set August 20, 2026, as the deadline for vendors to vacate the Mzée Laurent-Désiré Kabila Market in Lubumbashi. Nearly 17,000 vendors are affected by the operation, which is a prerequisite for the reconstruction and modernization of this major commercial infrastructure. The traders will be temporarily relocated to four markets across the city.

The timetable for the reconstruction of the Mzée Laurent-Désiré Kabila Market is becoming clearer. Meeting on Thursday, August 6, at the Haut-Katanga Governor’s Office, the project’s monitoring committee selected August 20, 2026, as the deadline for vendors to vacate the current site in central Lubumbashi.

The meeting was chaired by Haut-Katanga Acting Governor Martin Kazembe Shula, in the presence of the Mayor of Lubumbashi, provincial ministers responsible for the Economy and Infrastructure, and representatives of the traders.

Nearly 17,000 vendors are affected by the measure. Their relocation is intended to clear the market site so that reconstruction and modernization works can begin.

Four Markets to Accommodate the Traders

To ensure continuity of commercial activities during the construction period, the provincial government has identified four temporary relocation sites.

These are the Ruashi Central Market, Kamalondo Market, Kaseba Market, and Plaine Market in the Kampemba municipality.

Vendors currently operating at the Mzée Laurent-Désiré Kabila Market will therefore be required to move to these various sites according to the timetable established by the provincial authorities.

The distribution is intended to prevent prolonged disruption of commercial activities and allow traders to continue operating while reconstruction is underway.

The solution follows several weeks of discussions and tensions between the authorities and vendors. Traders had organized several demonstrations, including outside the Haut-Katanga Provincial Assembly, to protest the conditions of their relocation and demand greater guarantees regarding the process.

Another Site Proposed but Ultimately Rejected

Before the Head of State’s recent visit to Lubumbashi, a delegation comprising representatives of the vendors, the mayor of Kampemba municipality, municipal councillors, and members of civil society had been tasked with identifying a site capable of temporarily accommodating the traders.

A plot of land near the SNCC morgue was among the options proposed.

However, the provincial government did not select this option and ultimately decided to distribute the vendors among the four identified markets.

A Project with Economic Significance

The reconstruction of the Mzée Laurent-Désiré Kabila Market is part of the provincial authorities’ efforts to strengthen Lubumbashi’s commercial infrastructure, as the economic capital of Haut-Katanga.

The Provincial Assembly had already confirmed that the project was included in the 2026 provincial budget. Clearing the site is now a prerequisite for the effective start of construction.

The foundation stone ceremony, initially planned during the Head of State’s visit to Lubumbashi, had been postponed pending an agreement with the traders.

The Challenge of Relocation

With nearly 17,000 vendors to relocate, the operation represents a major logistical challenge for the provincial authorities.

The success of the transition will depend in particular on the ability of the four host markets to accommodate the traders and enable them to maintain their commercial activities.

Acting Governor Martin Kazembe Shula has called on the affected vendors and the people of Lubumbashi to show understanding. For the provincial government, rebuilding the market should provide Lubumbashi with a modern commercial infrastructure better suited to its status as the economic capital of Haut-Katanga.

Beyond the construction of a new market, the challenge will therefore be to balance the modernization of urban infrastructure with the preservation of the activities and incomes of thousands of traders throughout the transition period.

Héritier Maila

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