Vendors reject KCCA tenancy terms
A vendor addresses a meeting in Wandegeya, Kampala on Saturday. Photo by Stephen Wandera.
What you need to know:
Newly launched market is part of a wider plan to redevelop Kampala markets.
Wandegeya Market vendors have declined to sign tenancy agreements with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to occupy the newly launched three-storied market.
The traders say the terms instituted by KCCA are too tight and unacceptable.
They also say the levies are too high and they do not suggest that there were any consultations with key stakeholders [vendors].
“We (vendors) were supposed to be relocated using a budget of Shs141 million but this never materialised. A vendors’ committee together with KCCA was supposed agree rent and management of the facility. But the terms that are being presented do not reflect that there was any negotiations on the two issues,” Ms Agnes Mungoma, a vendors’ leader, said.
On Thursday, KCCA presented tenancy agreements to market vendors that they were required to sign and return today [Monday], however, some said they would not sign the agreements until they meet Ms Jennifer Musisi, the KCCA executive director, to explain why the Authority had renegaded on an earlier agreed upon road-map
While addressing a meeting on Saturday, Mr Jonathan Gita, the secretary Wandegeya Vendors Cooperative Society, detailed some of the required fees for different categories, saying saloon owners would pay Shs250,000 for a lock up and Shs150,000 for tobacco leaf dealers.
Greens and vegetable sellers would pay Shs40,000, with lockup shops on first and second floor going for Shs100,000 while those on the third floor will go for Shs80,000.
Wandegeya Market was established in 1934 by the Buganda Kingdom with a planned occupancy of about 100 vendors, however, by 2010, the market had a population of more than 300 vendors.
With the new works, KCCA plans to collect about Shs2b in revenue annually from the market.
The meeting exhibited emotionally charged vendors saying KCCA had hijacked the project.
“KCCA is not our landlord. They should stop harassing us,” Mr Abdul Kirowa, a vendors said.
Mr Peter Kauju, the KCCA spokesperson, said a complaint’s desk had been set up, inviting all those with grievances to register their concerns.
