Umeme disconnects Wandegeya Market over Shs300 million debt

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KCCA deputy spokesperson, Robert Kalumba said the authority had paid the bills and asked the traders to install their own billing meters if they wanted the power switched back

KAMPALA.

Vendors at Wandegeya market have spent the last two months without electricity after Umeme disconnected the power to the market over a more than Shs288 million debt.

Umeme billing documents which this newspaper has seen, show that Kampala Capital City Authority last paid for electricity two months ago.

Traders said this forces them to close business as early as 6pm, a peak hour for most of their businesses, given that most of their customers are the go-home-shoppers.

“I deal in frozen chicken but for two months I have been rendered jobless due to lack of power. Business is very low, customers are running to other efficient places and we are completely losing out,” said Mr Usaama Ssentamu, a dealer in frozen chicken.

Mr Ben Katumba, who runs a butchery at the market, wondered how the monthly rent charges they pay are used if KCCA can fail to pay for the electricity.

“When water is disconnected, it takes months to fix it. Electricity has been off for close to two months, KCCA has failed to fix it, how shall we pay their monthly charges?” Mr Ssemakula asked.

Salons, restaurants and bar operators raised similar concerns.

Easter season losses
Ms Rose Nankya, who operates a bar said throughout the Easter festivities, they were kept out of business.

“We did not have where to cool the drinks and there is no way you can sell unrefrigerated beers or sodas to customers. So we had to temporarily close business,” Ms Nankya said.
Many of the bars and restaurants were closed at the time Daily Monitor visited the market.

Food vendors also complained of the heavy stench that comes from the uncollected garbage at the market. They said KCCA delays to pick the garbage which causes a foul smell to their customers who often choose to eat from elsewhere.

KCCA is yet to clear the electricity bills for the months of March and April, according to documents seen.

Mr Jonathan Ggitta, the vendors’ chairperson said they have raised their matters to the authority in vain.

“Several issues do affect traders in the market. We have written several reports to the authority and we can’t do anything beyond our reach, we have done our part now it is upon the owners of the market to fix traders complaints,” Mr Ggitta said in an interview yesterday.

Blame shifted
KCCA deputy spokesperson, Robert Kalumba said the authority had paid the bills and asked the traders to install their own billing meters if they wanted the power switched back.

“KCCA pays for only the general electricity for the entire market and not for individuals own consumption. Anywhere you can go you can’t find building owners paying for the occupants electricity bills,” Mr Kalumba said yesterday.
He blamed the exorbitant accumulated power bill on traders who he accused of illegally tapping the power.

vendors strike
Last week Wandegeya traders staged a peaceful demonstration over the power outages. Police on Monday advised KCCA to fix the traders concerns to avoid causing situations that could lead to insecurity in the region.