On Friday, the landlord Mohamed Kasamba locked all the five apartments and the police post. According to the tenancy agreement, the Sub County was supposed to pay 250,000 Shillings a month for each of the five rooms. However, Kasamba says that he is demanding Three Million Shillings in arrears for one year.
In the first planting season, the majority of farmers realized low yields due to too much sunshine which was experienced across the region from the months of May to June. This dried up and withered many garden crops that were already blossoming and about to mature.
But Denes Sekabira the Katikamu North Member of Parliament says that the resolution by the town council to evict vendors was brought in bad faith as the residents struggle to find alternative ways of survival.
The government lifted the suspension in July 2020 but only allowed fishermen with the recommended boat sizes, a restriction that has pushed fishermen out of business.
But in Arua, the vendors have not implemented the directive citing lack of Sanitary facilities and congestion. The market which was constructed out of iron sheets following the demolition of the main market currently accommodates over 3,000 vendors dealing in various foodstuffs. It has one water point and a four stance latrine.
The directive was issued at the pronouncement of a 42-day lockdown in which movement is restricted within districts, and curfew hours adjusted to 7 p.m. According to President Yoweri Museveni, staying in Markets will help traders keep coronavirus at bay since they will be stationed in one place, while equally protecting the rest of the family members.
