IF you an early shopper you might as well forget your practice because in Zambia shops operate like Government offices.
Unfortunately this has extended even to international chain stores like Shoprite, Choppies and many others who have opted to open their doors at 08.00 hours sharp.
Of course this can only happen in a country like Zambia where business owners think they cannot be bothered to open early even when they are fully aware that it is the early bird that catches the worm.
However my hearty congratulations to Rwandese and Tanzanian shop owners who have successfully filled up the void created by late openers.
These people open their shops well before 06.00 hours and truly people rush to their shops to do their early shopping with pleasure.
Strangely when these early traders appear to be making good money, Zambians begin to accuse them of using juju forgetting that while they were still sleeping, their counterparts were already up making easy money.
The situation gets worse on Sundays when many shops simply shut down in Lusaka’s central business district (CBD) altogether because owners think it really does not matter.
My worry however is: Will this scenario ever change for the better or are Zambians condemned to this cheap way of doing things forever by service providers.
Is it possible for our Zambian Consumers Association (ZACA) to move in and pump some sense in these shop owners who appear to have taken Zambian consumers for granted?
JAY KABEMBA, LUSAKA
