Sellers who run business upstairs the former building at “Au Parisien” near Village Market and Burundi Credit Bank (BCB) get benefit from the new market though the people’s purchasing power is low due to poverty.-Yves Didier Irakoze
A great commercial building where “Complexe de Référence” is located ©Iwacu
N.E. is a seller of women clothes found at the new market. He says that he appreciates the way the building looks like and the advantage he gets from there. “I like the way this new market is built and the way everything is displayed. This area is very clean, mirrors almost everywhere and the stands are in glass windows. This attracts our customers and we are often in good mood while running our business,” points out N.E.
Security according to him is in general good as there are no suspected pick pockets or a big movement of thugs and street children as we used to have at Bujumbura Central Market. Another seller of women clothes states that the advantage they get from the new market is that they can work beyond 7:00 or 8:00pm while when they were in the Central market they had to close at 4:00pm. She is also satisfied with the security that prevails in this new market.
“We are so proud of security in the new market that we are able to work over 6:00pm. This is also a big advantage for us to sell our products and get customers from those who leave their office around or after 6:00pm,” she declares.
She goes on saying that before the central market burned, they lost many customers because the market had to closeearly and some of the clients left their offices when the market was already closed; which is not the case for the new market.
N.E. reveals that they enjoy and appreciate the renting cost of their stands. “Before the central market burned, I rented a stand at an amount of BIF250, 000but now I rent it at BIF150, 000. It is also a benefit to our customers who come to supply themselves here because the price is cheap,” highlights N.E.
He adds that articles and goods are stored in separated areas. Goods from shops or consumable goods are down stairs or in caves; cosmetics and children’s clothes on the first floor whereas adults’ clothes on the second floor. It looks like a modern market.
But there are also some obstacles
However, according to Cynthia, a cosmetic seller, obstacles are also there. “Many people do not know the new market; they don’t know or aren’t accustomed to the new area. They are curious but they don’t turn up to look around. Others know the place but they fear as they think goods are very expensive while it’s not the case,” points out Cynthia.
Then, she states, we don’t buy many goods because we are not sure of our market and customers.
She adds that another big problem is that they don’t get many customers because of the decrease of common people’s purchasing power.
“Both people and the country are poor, there is no money because even those who get at least a small amount of money have to buy food rather than clothes or something else; they want to feed their families first,” she concludes.
IWACU Open Data
