Fred Mugazi, the central market chairperson, says that they cannot sleep in the market since space at the market is not enough. He also says that the sanitary facilities are not enough to accommodate all the traders.
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front view of Rukungiri central market .photo by ronald Kabanza.
Food vendors in Rukungiri Central Market have continued to operate
normally despite the directives by President Museveni to control the spread of
COVID -19 pandemic.
The president asked market vendors dealing in food items to camp and stay in
the markets for 21 days or stay home. He
also ordered that there should be spacing of four meters on all sides for
both the buyer and the seller.
However,
the vendors have failed to adjust the spacing at the market to protect both
vendors and buyers from being at risk of contracting COVID-19.
Fred Mugazi, the central market chairperson, says that they cannot
sleep in the market since space is not enough. He also says that
the sanitary facilities are in a poor state to be used by the traders.
Rukungiri District health officer, Dr Akasima Mucunguzi, however,
said that vendors who fail to adhere to 4-meter physical distancing guidelines
are putting their lives and those of the buyers at risk.
Dr Akasima said that he is going to take up the matter with
relevant stakeholders to ensure that the vendors adhere to the preventive measures.
The Rukungiri Resident District Commissioner Dan Kaguta said that
all vendors operating in the central market have homes in Rukungiri town
therefore it becomes difficult for them to sleep in the market.
He, however, says a decision will be taken by the covid-taskforce when
the number of vendors and buyers increases.
Kabanza Ronald
Freelancer