The Usafi market was bought by the government through KCCA in 2014 from Safinet U Ltd, a company owned by businessman Umar Ssekamatte at a cost of 39.4 billion Shillings. The cost later shot up to 43 billion Shillings after KCCA was subjected to a 3.6 billion Shillings fine for delayed payment.
Henry Mutibwa, the Chairperson Usafi Traders Association, says currently the traders spend most of their time idling around the market due to lack of customers.
Peter Kivumbi, the chairperson of Usafi Market Traders Association told Uganda Radio Network that they received applications from 1,292 vendors but only managed to get stalls for 865 vendors.
Prior to demolition of structures, vendors had been informed that Kiggundu fronted a six months pay for 700 stalls in Usafi market, a facility adjacent to the clock tower, initially acquired by Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA to absorb vendors from the streets.
Usafi market leaders have resolved that traders who have many sacks of beans and maize occupying one wing of the market should squeeze themselves to create space for incoming Park Yard traders.
The cost of lockups in Usafi market will drop from 480,000 to 288,000 Shillings. Stalls which were previously hired at 150,000 Shillings will now cost 90,000 Shillings while those hired at 45,000 Shillings will now go for 13,000 Shillings. The 6500 Shillings stall remains unchanged.
Susan Amero, the Presidential Affairs Committee vice chairperson, says KCCA will be tasked to explain why it has delayed to pay Ssekamate his dues, despite the fact that parliament approved a supplementary budget of Shillings 7 billion as partial payment for the business man.
But members of the Presidential affairs committee of Parliament this morning questioned the motive of the purchase on ground that KCCA may not get value for money from the investment. Ntungamo Municipality MP Yona Musinguzi says the rate is far above the market value and needs to be revisted.
The developments follow a recent decision by KCCA to relocate illegal taxi stages to gazetted parks alongside a tightly enforced ban on picking passengers by the roadside. According to KCCA the new regulations are designed to streamline public transport in Kampala City,
Vendors in Usafi Market at Kalitunsi in Katwe, a Kampala suburb, continue to wait buyers with some staring at empty stalls more than two months after the first phase of the market was opened. The market, a liaison between SAFINET Developers and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), was opened early February but traders have to do with empty stands as they hope that customers will trickle in.
