Vendors, low income earners to benefit from Mbarara central market - govt
Mbarara people admiring their newly constructed central market. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU
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“This market is for the vendors who were relocated from the old market and I have asked the City authorities of Mbarara to strictly follow the list of vendors that were relocated before the reconstruction to allow them to enjoy their new market,” said Ettedu
About 485 vendors and low-income earners are set to benefit from Mbarara Central Market after completion of construction. The market was constructed and handed over to Mbarara City Authority by the Roko construction ltd.
While speaking at the handover ceremony on March 15, 2022, in Mbarara city, Geoffrey JJ Ettedu, the Assistant Commissioner and National Programs Manager Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Project (MATIP), Ministry of Local Government said that the market is strictly for the vendors and low-income earners who have nowhere to work from. He warned political leaders and middle and high-income earners against rushing to get lockups.
“This market is for the vendors who were relocated from the old market and I have asked the City authorities of Mbarara to strictly follow the list of vendors that were relocated before the reconstruction to allow them to enjoy their new market,” said Ettedu.
Asse Babirebe Tumwesigire, the City Clerk said the vendors should be in the know that using the facility will not be for free after allocation noting that the vendors will be tasked to pay a monthly fee that will be used to maintain the sanitation and hygiene of the place.
“We shall come up with a fee that each vendor will pay every month that will be used to run the market,” said Tumwesigire.
Nyombi Mohammed, the chairman of the vendors asked the Ministry of Local Government and the city authorities not to rush to re-allocate the vendors without a right and proper procedure.
“I have asked the authorities to use proper procedures while re-allocating vendors to avoid making mistakes. When they make mistakes the problems come back to us as leaders,” he Nyombi.
The four-storeyed market is located in the middle of Mbarara City along Bishop Wills and Mbaguta streets has about 485 shelters for vendors’ stalls, a police post, a children’s care center, an office block, and water harvesting tanks among other facilities.
Eng. Emmanuel Mwebaze, the project manager said that the Mbarara market is one of the best in quality out of all markets awarded under MATIP.
The government awarded Roko Construction Limited the contract to reconstruct Mbarara Central Market in 2018 for shs21.11 billion shillings under (MATIP) with funding from African Development Bank.
