Madina Namuganza, the chairperson of the banana traders’ department, says that the market already has a land title and it is the role of political leaders to team up with their technical counterparts to ensure that the market is well constructed.
The vendors note that since most commodities are scattered along the different streets within Jinja town, most people prefer buying from the street vendors instead of wasting their time to enter the shops or market.
Fred Tumwine, a farmer in Buseruka Sub County Hoima district says a cow that would cost 2 Million Shillings in the past now goes shillings 1.2 million.
Namuganza says that, under circumstances where millers lack market for their already processed sugar, it is hard for them to purchase out-growers’ cane since they already have surplus processed sugar in their stores.
The traders say that they no longer receive clients as customers prefer to purchase items outside the market. They also accuse Jinja city authorities of failing to block operations of street vendors despite their numerous complaints.
Mutheke Bwambale, another trader says most of the traders have been working from Mawa market but because of the social distancing requirement, those who didn’t find space outside the market extended their operations to the play field.
The traders who usually travel from various parts of the District were repealed by police led by the Kasese District Police Commander Dickens Okello following the president’s directive banning public gatherings as one of the preventive measures against corona virus.
The two were riding to Amber coat food market when they were killed by a loose electric cable. Edisa Nabukenya, who survived with serious injuries, says she saw the wire drop on the motorcycle, which was approximately one meter ahead of her.
Eastern and Northern regions are close to international markets including Kenya and South Sudan, currently, Uganda’s most important food export markets
Busiro North which includes Sub Counties of Kakiri, Masulita and Namuyuma is known to have vast pieces of land much of which lie idol although it’s occupants are hard hit with poverty. The area with fertile soils is part of the Luweero Triangle which was greatly affected by the 1980 bush war and for the last thirty years, the area has remained almost less productive with residents blaming all their misfortunes to the war.
Umar Musoke, one of the vendors who lost properties in the fire, says that they heard a big blast from the neighbouring kiosk, prompting all vendors to converge in the fire assembly point. He adds that not much was saved as they fled to save their dear lives from the flames which destroyed food items, beverages and electronics.
Museveni noted that although sugar mills within Busoga region are suffering raw material scarcity due to the increased number of mills, there is an increase in the number of cane farmers who lack where to sell their harvest.
Balaji Group East Africa Limited is the latest entrant in the market for bottled water. Commission on Friday by president, Yoweri Museveni, Balaji Group East Africa Limited plans to roll out flavored bottled mineral water on the Ugandan market by December this year.
Karadi, the chairperson of a nine-member committee which was on Tuesday instructed by the Jinja town clerk, Ambrose Ochieng to be a caretaker of the association ahead of next month’s elections, was blocked by vendors who argued that elections of the market leadership should not be influenced by security officials and municipal authorities.
This followed the issuance of election guidelines for the market leadership by the municipal authorities on Thursday. According to the guidelines, the incumbent market chairman is meant to hand over office to the Principal Assistant Town Clerk, within three days, in preparation for the elections scheduled to take place in two months.
