Vendors cry out as Lord Mayor visits USAFI
One of the USAFI vendors, Ms Annet Nassazi (kneeling), narrates her ordeal to Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago (3rd right) during his visit to the market in Kampala yesterday. Photo by ABUBAKER LUBOWA
Kampala.
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago yesterday visited USAFI market following traders’ complaints of mistreatment and extortion by Kampala Capital City Authority officials and their agents.
Mr Lukwago was consulting the traders ahead of an August 4, appearance before Parliament. The Presidential Affairs Committee of Parliament summoned the KCCA leadership to appear before the committee and explain issues surrounding USAFI market.
Key among the issues is the delayed payment of city businessman Umar Ssekamatte from whom KCCA purchased the market at Shs37b last year.
Mr Lukwago, who was kept out office at the time the market was bought, said the KCCA Authority would investigate the matter, including how the contract was executed.
“We are told the purchase price is close to Shs40b. That is ridiculous, it is astronomical. We need to investigate the details of that. According to the details I have here, the outstanding balance is Shs20.5b,” he said.
Traders raised issues of fraud in the allocation of stalls, with some blaming top KCCA officials and former Authority councillors of allocating themselves stalls meant to benefit vendors, and kicking hawkers off Kampala streets in 2011.
Mr Lukwago said whoever does not have legal entitlement in USAFI market will be investigated.
Ms Annet Nassazi, a trader in the market knelt down and cried before Mr Lukwago and his entourage while detailing how she had lost her business in the market.
“This market has been turned into a cave for robbers,” she said, adding that “we buy stalls from KCCA officials and then they take them from us.”
The traders also protested an imposed leadership and demanded that they are given a chance to elect their own leaders. They also complained of illegal stages run by “powerful” people in the country which affect their business.
Mr Lukwago warned “the so called tycoons” who are grabbing markets, school land and other public spaces.
“Eventually, we are going to have a big army of the poor in Kampala.”
The visit was historical, given that previous attempts by Mr Lukwago to visit the area had been brutally quashed by Police.
