Abandoned Shs60million market turned into cattle shade
Cattle take shade inside the abandoned food market in Ntoroko District on July 20, 2022. PHOTO/ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
- The abandoned facility is about 100 meters away from the sub county headquarters along the roadside.
A Shs60million market in Ntoroko District continues to lie idle six years after it was completed in 2016.
The market constructed by district authorities in Nyakasenyi trading centre in Butungama Sub-County was supposed to house food vendors in a sparsely populated area.
“That market is now a daily shelter for the animals. It is unfortunate that government money was put to waste and the market has not generated any revenue for the sub-county,” said Mr Francis Kabagambe, elderly councillor for Butungama Sub-County.
The abandoned facility is about 100 meters away from the sub county headquarters along the roadside.
“Our top leaders should look for ways to utilize it,” Mr Kabagambe opined.
Another local leader, Mr Daudi Asante Bomera, said the market was built on private land since the sub county or district had no title.
“That market was supposed to be built in Kyabikuguru trading centre but because at that time there was misunderstanding with the leaders and the market was shifted. No single vendor has ever stepped in,” he observed.
Ntoroko District production officer Mr Patrick Businge Bagonza explained why they abandoned the market.
“It was supposed to be a daily food market for vendors but it is a few meters away from another privately owned livestock market with a bigger population,” he said.
According to him, the district used a grant from Luwero-Rwenzori Development Program to construct the market.
“By the time the district constructed the market, our plan was that vendors who were operating in the livestock market on the ground could get a better place but after the completion, they refused to occupy it and the sub county is currently missing out on collecting local revenue,” He said.
Mr William Kasoro, the Ntoroko district chairman, said in two years to come they are going to work on the market again for vendors.
“At that time the population around Nyakasenyi trading center was small, but this time our population is growing because we have established the sub county headquarters and health facilities. The plan is to build a seed school in the area which will increase the population,” disclosed.
