Trouble for the chairperson started on Tuesday morning when the vendors arrested him and handed him to police. This caused a meeting between police, the vendors and the market executives.
Vendors in Mbale central market have accused their chairperson
Ayubu Madoi and his executive of mismanagement of funds.
The vendors allege that Madoi has failed in garbage management, payment of
utility bills among others.
According to vendors, they have also spent more than three weeks without power
since UMEME disconnected power over arrears of 28 million shillings.
Follwing complaints, Madoi and his executive were suspended from collecting any revenue in
the market.
A committee of 17 people was elected to collect revenue and remit
the money to Umeme.
Miriam Muhaye, a vendor dealing in first-hand clothes says that they have
several times raised complaints against the leadership of the market in vain.
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A section of vendors want the municipal council to immediately call for fresh
elections.
Vox pop
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Abubakar Nabende, the Information Secretary of Mbale Central Market said that
they agreed with the municipal council to collect 150,000 shillings every day
from the entry fee and remit it to the Umeme account to clear the bills but
Madoi instead swindled the money.
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The Mbale municipality Public Relations Officer, James Kutosi says
that Madoi was operating against the set guidelines of the market.
He says that the municipal council has several times organized
elections in the market but sabotaged by Madoi and his executive.
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However, Madoi dismissed the allegations calling them mere fabrications aimed
at tarnishing his name. He explains that he has been collecting
money and remitting it to the Industrial Division accounts.
Kirinya Ayubu is the URN Bureau Chief of Elgon/Bukedi Sub Regions . He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mass Communication from Islamic University in Uganda and a Diploma in Computer Science and Information Technology from the same University.
