Keep politics out of city markets, minister tells Kampala leaders

State Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Kabuye Kyofatogabye has warned leaders not to politicise the management of markets.

Mr Kyofatogabye said the existing markets and those to be built by the government starting next year are meant to empower the urban poor irrespective of party affiliations.

He said ahead of the 2026 elections, some leaders have begun their mobilisation efforts in the markets, which disadvantage some vendors.

“In the markets, we don’t have NRM or NUP; all we need is service delivery; it is the policy of the government to ensure the ordinary person benefits from a good working space,” he said.

“How many of you traders want to work in a dirty and congestive environment? The government has released funds for construction of the markets but the owners and leaders of markets want to delay the works,” he added.

The minister was addressing market vendors and local government leaders in Kireka Town, Namugongo Division in Kiira Municipality on Tuesday.

He was briefing them about the planned construction of a market by the central government in Kireka starting next financial year. The market is among 17, which will be established under the World Bank-funded Shs2.1 trillion Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP).

The minister threatened to arrest leaders who request for funds from vendors in order to register them to benefit from the new market.

“I don’t want to hear that vendors are being charged Shs200,000 or Shs100,000 for registration; We shall arrest you and jail you for frustrating government programmes,” he added.

The minister appealed to the vendors to cooperate with the government and shift from the current market to pave way for construction       

The market will be built within 18 months effective next financial year in July. He said the ministry officials would consult all the market vendors and leaders on how the markets will be built and asked them to cooperate with them.

Mr Ronald Nkalubo, the mayor of Namugongo Division in Kiira Municipality, appealed to the vendors to cooperate with the government and ensure speedy construction of the market, which, he said, will benefit them and improve their livelihoods.

However, Phiona Nakalembe, a vendor, expressed concern that they will be kicked out of the market in future due to the high rental fees. She said already traders in Busega are complaining of the same issue.

Ms Zaina Mbabazi Nakibinge, the councillor for the elderly in Namugongo Division, expressed concern over politicisation of allocation of stalls. She said they have been consulted as the original leaders of the current old market since it was donated by a resident.

Mr Musa Ssekiziyivu, the head of markets in Kira Municipality, assured the traders about equal distribution of stalls in the market. He urged the traders to present to him their petitions for quick handling.

In an earlier interview, Mr Fred Tumwebaze Hunter, a consultant for the markets development programme at the ministry, said the markets are now at the design stage and will be set up in Kira, Nansana, Makindye-Ssabagabo, Entebbe and Mukono municipalities as well as Kampala City, Mpigi, Mukono and Wakiso districts.

He said they are assessing the different prevailing conditions in the beneficiary local governments to ensure the creation of decent work spaces and markets that he said should benefit the population.