Africa-Press – Uganda. President Museveni has said the newly commissioned modern markets will solve the childcare crisis that has kept many Ugandan women less productive and out of the workforce.
President Museveni was launching the Entebbe Modern Market, in Kitooro, Entebbe Municipality on Tuesday.
The Shs25b market is one of the 12 modern markets constructed under the Markets and Agriculture Trade Improvement Project aimed at poverty reduction and economic growth through enhanced marketing of agricultural produce and other merchandise.
It has 930 stalls, and amenities including a daycare centre, pharmacy, restaurants, among others.
Mr Museveni said the modern markets will not only improve the outlook of the country but will also increase productivity.
“The women, specifically those with pre-school age children have been catered for in these markets, we have built a daycare centre where they can keep their children. They should not go through the trouble of selling their tomatoes while the kids are disturbing them,” he said.
According to Uganda Investment Authority, at least 60 per cent of mothers in Uganda, who have children below the age of five, work .
Due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 global pandemic, most people lost their jobs, especially women.
President Museveni urged vendors to concentrate on improving their incomes.“With these facilities, you can use this market as a school for low-income earners, so you must work hard and graduate to the next level and leave others also to come and join,” he said.
The President pledged that government will continue looking after the markets to ensure a good environment.
“A good market is one with no dust, mud or flies. Those working here should ensure the environment remains free from those things,” he said.The President also encouraged people to indulge in the government financial empowerment programme dubbed ‘emyooga’.
He also urged workers to form small groups and apply for government funding through the programme.
“This money, we shall give you and we shall not come to remove it from you; however, your small saving groups will require you to pay back at a very small interest. We are saving you from money lenders who have been robbing you, now when they hear that you are in emyooga, they will commit suicide,” he said.
