MPs summon Busia officials as vendors shun Shs39b market commissioned by Museveni
Vendors sort yams outside Busia main market which was commissioned by President Museveni ahead of the 2021 general election. PHOTO/AVID AWORI
What you need to know:
- Orlando Lukiya, who operates a food kiosk in the main market, said the municipal council leaders allowed several food vendors to operate around the market which has grossly affected them.
- Mr Muzamiru Musobya, a vendor in the kitchen section, said out of over 30 stalls in their section, less than 10 are operational, while the rest are locked, which he attributed to the management’s alleged failure to manage electricity, which he said has left the entire market without light.
- Busia main market was constructed at a cost of Shs39.5b with funds from the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Municipal Agricultural Improvement Programme (MATIP).
Members of Parliament (MPs) have summoned Busia District authorities over allegations of corruption and mismanagement of Busia main market.
Those summoned include; the town clerk, Mr Ronald Baganza, Mayor Mr Sadiki Amin, Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Michael Kibwika, and the district LC5 chairman, Mr Stephen Wasike Mugeni, among other leaders.
The chairperson of the Local Government and Public Service Committee of Parliament, Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, says the aforementioned leaders are responsible for the mismanagement of the Shs39.5b facility.
“For all the markets we have been to in Soroti and Tororo, Busia main market is the worst-performing; the stalls are empty, the facility has no water and electricity, and toilets are totally blocked,” Mr Mapenduzi told journalists.
According to Mr Mapenduzi, the above leaders allowed vendors to operate along streets and ungazetted markets at the expense of the government facility, which he said is not acceptable.
A report by Mr Baganza to the committee indicates that out of a total of 854 stalls in the market, only 304 are occupied, while 550 are without vendors.
“Whereas the market is open and functional, the occupancy rate remained very low at only 41 percent, which has greatly undermined our revenue collections,” Mr Baganza said in his unsigned report whose authenticity was questioned by the legislators.
In response, Mr Mapenduzi directed that Mr Baganza first sign the document before proceeding to present to the committee.
Orlando Lukiya, who operates a food kiosk in the main market, said the municipal council leaders allowed several food vendors to operate around the market which has grossly affected them.
“Our would-be customers have no time to enter the facility to buy food when they have several food kiosks where they work from,” he said.
Mr Muzamiru Musobya, a vendor in the kitchen section, said out of over 30 stalls in their section, less than 10 are operational, while the rest are locked, which he attributed to the management’s alleged failure to manage electricity, which he said has left the entire market without light.
Mr Ali Muyosi, another vendor, says whereas the market has modern toilet facilities, they were closed by the municipal council authorities, leaving the close to 400 traders with no place of convenience.
Ms Joan Nakamya, who operates a utensils’ business in the market, said “corruption and selfishness” was the cause of the markets’ poor performance.
“Many leaders continue to illegally collect cash from those operating along the streets and illegal markets; so, they cannot evict them and lose out on the daily cash they earn because they want a government market to operate,” she said.
Ms Deborah Taaka, a vendor in the textiles section, accused the municipal leaders of having been compromised, saying: “Offloading is being done in Arubaine market, which is a small market; so, the small market supplies the main market which I think is not in order.”
A woman walks out of Busia main market. PHOTO/DAVID AWORI
Mr John Lubowa, a vendor, said whereas he has been paying taxes to the municipal council, he finds it “difficult” to remit more because he is hardly making any sales.
“I come here and sit the whole day or week without making a single sale and that is why I am failing to remit money for rent to the municipal authorities,” he said.
The chairperson Eastern Division, Mr Isa Kalombo, accused Mr Baganza of reportedly “doing nothing” to close businesses operating in ungazetted spaces.
“We directed the closure of all these illegal markets and street vending, but he (Baganza) has failed to implement this,” Mr Kalombo said.
Mr Michael Mugeni, the former Busia municipal council mayor, who also operates a stall in the market, accused Mr Amin of “double standards” and “being at the forefront in disrespecting the resolutions of council”.
“He is on record for telling traders who are illegally operating on the streets not to vacate because he is protecting his votes,” Mr Mugeni said.
Mr Zake Njuya, another vendor, accused the municipal council authorities of extortion, saying some of its enforcement team was impounding motorcycles from buyers and traders, and charging them Shs40,000 to have them released.
Mr Baganza and Mr Amin continue to profess their innocence, and distanced themselves from all allegations.
ABOUT THE MARKET
Busia main market was constructed at a cost of Shs39.5b with funds from the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Municipal Agricultural Improvement Programme (MATIP).
It was commissioned in 2020 by President Museveni as is one of the biggest in the country and also has a component of value addition for cereals.
