Vendors in tears as fire destroys Jinja market
The aerial view of Napier Market that got burnt on Saturday Morning. Photo by Denis Edema
What you need to know:
- Ms Juliet Awori, a food vendor said she got a loan of Shs2.5 million from Bride Uganda but had so far paid only half it to the financial institution.
- According to some vendors who spoke to this reporter, the police report from the fire which gutted the market in 2012 is yet to be released.
JINJA
Police in Jinja District are investigating circumstance under which fire gutted Napier market on Friday night leaving vendors in tears.
Most of the vendors had borrowed loans to set up their businesses.
Kiira Regional fire officer, Mr Roger Turinawe said the fire razed the entire market.
“We received the information at around 11: 39 about the fire break out responded quickly. Although the situation was worse, I called for reinforcement from other companies like Kakira Sugar and Nile Ply for support and we managed to extinguish the fire,” said Mr Turenawe.
A woman stands near where her stall used to be before fire razed down the entire Napier Market in Jinja District on Saturday morning. Photo by Denis Edema
Mr Turinawe said he could not establish the cause of the fire by press time but police investigations are underway.
The Jinja Resident District Commissioner, Mr John Rex Achila said he has called the leaders of the market for a meeting at his officer over the fire.
According to him, more than 3,700 vendors have been affected.
The Chairman of the market Mr Suleiman Lwanga, said those affected include dealers in second-hand clothes section, food vendors and herbalists, among others.
Scrap dealers buying burnt items in the market. Photo by Denis Edema
According to him, close to 300 stalls were burnt to ashes.
This is the third time Napier market which sits on 3-4 acres piece of land is getting burnt, with the latest being in
.
Vendors accused police of sitting on reports from investigations about the fires.
Some vendors claimed an investor whom they declined to name is eyeing the land on which the market sits.
In January, 201, the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca
in what she described as increasing cases of land grabbing in Jinja Town.
“Your Excellency, something needs to be done in Jinja because as I was touring the town I saw that Napier Market land was being encroached on and even the public toilet around it had been broken down and houses were being raised up,” she said at the Bugiri District headquarters during a thanksgiving ceremony for the newly appointed NRM Secretary General, Ms Justin Kasule Lumumba. The function was presided over by the President.
