Lusaka City Market, Zambia’s largest and busiest market, was burned down on Tuesday in what is believed to be an act by economic saboteurs, destroying millions of kwacha worth of goods. The market has around 4,000 stalls with small businesses that include, groceries, stationery and clothing traders as well as meat processors.

The market was built ten years ago and had a permanent police presence as well as guards twenty-four hours a day and strict rules banning cooking and fire inside the market. President Lungu has invoked a temporary state of emergency, which allows police to forbid public meetings, impose curfews, close roads and restrict movements.

Parliament will decide within the next week whether to extend the state of emergency beyond the initial seven days.