Africa-Press – Uganda. Early this year, the municipal leaders met the fish traders over plans to shift them to the main market. The traders had been given up to July 3 to go to the new market
Fish traders in Koboko Municipality have rejected the new work place allocated to them by the authorities, saying it is not conducive for their business.
At the weekend, municipal law enforcement staff demolished the traders’ makeshift stalls in the town, saying that the latter had not complied with the August 3 ultimatum to shift to the new market. The authorities said the relocation is intended to create orderliness in the town.
But the fish traders said the proposed workplace in the market is very narrow and inaccessible to customers.
Ms Zaitun Bako, a fishmonger, said: “Since last week, we have been engaging with the authorities over the issues of the new market site. They gave us an ultimatum up to August 3, which ended.”
Mr Bako added: “That day when we wanted to shift, the same authorities told us to wait up to Saturday. But we were shocked when we woke up to find our makeshift shelters destroyed. Since Saturday, I have not sold and the authorities are not picking up our calls to explain.”
The chairperson of the Koboko Fish Mongers Association, Ms Shaban Topi, said the municipal authorities are unfair because the space in the new market can’t accommodate all the fish traders. “The new site also has poor hygiene. We are requesting the authorities to get us a better place. This is when we shall shift,” she said
Early this year, the municipal leaders met the fish traders over plans to shift them to the main market. The traders had been given up to July 3 to go to the new market.
But the municipality mayor, Mr Wilson Sanya, defended their actions.
“The municipal council has plans to zone the town and reorganise all the businesses and we thought we should start to reorganise the taxi park, the fish market and the hawker for second hand clothing. But we couldn’t hit the target since the arrangement was not complete,” he said.
Mr Sanya explained that the zoning is aimed at rising more revenue to ensure better service delivery.
