Owino vendors okay KCCA takeover

The chairperson of St Balikuddembe (Owino) Market, Ms Susan Kushaba, has said she will hand over the management of the market to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

She made the remarks during a meeting with the Executive Director for KCCA, Ms Dorothy Kisaka, in Kampala on Monday.

“My traders are ready to work with KCCA to develop this market. They are not interested in the old leadership or any confusing cliques,” she said.

“KCCA should sort the issue of landlords who continue to harass and threaten vendors,” she added.
Ms Kisaka said KCCA will foster effective leadership.

“I decided to come on the ground after hearing contradictions to make the President’s message clear.  The government wants harmony in the market. He [President Museveni] does not want his people to suffer at the hands of landlords or exploitative leadership, but rather have law and order in the market,” Ms Kisaka said.

Operation

The executive director said: “The market is like a school. A school has a headmaster or headmistress. At KCCA, the headmistress who is in charge of the administration is the ED. Every school has a bursar, to collect money on behalf of the headmistress. So, I will bring a bursar in the market to collect all the money that goes to KCCA.” 

“Like in each school, there can be a school prefect, but they are not part of the administration and cannot collect money on behalf of the bursar or do administrative work on behalf of the headmistress. Therefore, vendors will not collect money or handle administration,” Ms Kisaka added.

KCCA has instituted a taskforce to oversee the smooth leadership transition. 

Ms Kisaka said the transition will be executed after receiving the handover report from the old leadership of the market.

She also said they will announce the stall rent rates that will be paid by the vendors.