during a survey visit, a team from the local government ministry led by Geoffrey Ettedu, the National program coordinator for Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Program-(MATIP-2] rejected the proposed site.
The market once constructed will help accommodate over 500 vendors currently operating in the daily Karuguza market that is situated in Ruguuza cell, Karuguza town council. The market currently accommodates more than 200 vendors.
The vendors who deal in food items and snacks were given a notice to peacefully vacate from the said premises in July and occupy spaces allocated to them in the main market. However, they ignored the directive, until the police rounded off the taxi park and directed them to vacate but, they instead retaliated by pelting stones at law enforcement enforces.
Luwero Town Clerk Irene Nakamatte issued a notice In July directing the District Kadhi Sheikh Ramadhan Mulindwa to stop operations of the market that was established on part of the 20-acre piece of land belonging to the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council. The market was established two months ago by Kadhi Mulindwa at Kalongomiti Zone in Luwero town.
According to Kibirango, during the meeting, they agreed to suspend further allocation of space to vendors to erect stalls till Monday next week when they have inspected the land. He says their findings will determine whether or not to allow the establishment of the market on the land.
When Sheikh Mulindwa turned up, he asked Kibirango to suspend the meeting on grounds that he wasn’t invited formally and that it had been hijacked by Muslim leaders who pay allegiance to Kibuli who were mobilized to fight the establishment of the market. Mulindwa also blasted Nadduli for usurping his roles as district Kadhi before storming out of the meeting in protest.
If it is true that butchers pay 40,000 each per month for power, then 300 of them raise 12,000,000 for electricity in one month, three times the outstanding bill that led to disconnection.
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
