Africa-Press – Uganda. Residents of Kagadi District have welcomed the official handover of market stalls at the newly built Mambugu Market, marking a significant milestone in the town council’s efforts to boost local commerce and decentralise trade from the congested Kagadi Central Market.
The handover ceremony, held on Monday evening at the market premises, was presided over by Kagadi Town Council Mayor Geoffrey Businge and Principal Town Clerk John Isingoma.
Both officials hailed the development as a timely step toward expanding trading spaces and empowering local vendors.
Mayor Businge praised the family of the late Kaligenda, the original owners of the land on which the market stands, for their generosity and commitment to the growth of Mambugu.
“This family has shown exceptional support to the community by availing this land. Their contribution is a clear demonstration of development-minded leadership,” Businge said.
He explained that the establishment of Mambugu Market was part of broader plans to upgrade Kagadi Central Market into a fully-fledged daily market.
Under this new arrangement, Mambugu will serve as the designated weekly market.
However, a discrepancy emerged during the ceremony regarding the market’s operational schedule.
While Mayor Businge stated that Mambugu Market would run every Wednesday, Principal Town Clerk Isingoma later clarified that the market would officially open to the public on April 29 and operate weekly on Tuesdays.
Isingoma also assured stall owners that the stalls they have purchased are theirs permanently. “We want our vendors to operate with confidence, knowing their stalls are secure and ownership will not change,” he said.
Local leaders, including Mambugu Ward Councilor Akonyera Benizeri, described the market as a transformative project for the area.
“This market will stimulate economic growth, increase the value of land, and create a reliable outlet for farmers and traders,” Benizeri said.
Some beneficiaries of the stalls, who spoke to journalists at the event, expressed gratitude to the town council for the initiative, saying it has created much-needed employment and commercial opportunities.
Still, many appealed to the authorities to relocate wholesalers from Kagadi Central Market to Mambugu to boost customer traffic and activity.
“We are thankful for the chance to work here, but to succeed, we need more movement of goods and people. If the wholesalers are relocated, Mambugu will thrive faster,” said Annet Kamuhanda, one of the new stallholders.
With just days to the market’s formal opening, anticipation continues to build among traders and residents, who see the development as a promising shift in the local trade landscape.
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