Africa-Press – Uganda. Vendors have shunned Namulesa Market in Jinja Northern City Division over its sorry state.
Currently, the market, which was constructed in 1958 is supposed to accommodate 10,000 vendors; however, it has never been rehabilitated, causing numbers to drop to as low as 106 vendors.
The market, which sits on about 1.2 acres of land, comprises vendors dealing in food, clothing, salon, tailoring, and retail shops, among others.
Mr Badru Tezita, one of the vendors, at the weekend said: “Whenever it rains, the market lacks enough shelters, while some vendors are using temporary dilapidated shelters which expose them to direct sunshine and rain whenever there is a downpour.”
Mr Tezita, who has operated from the market for 27 years, says insecurity has also made vendors shun the facility, citing cases where some of the traders have lost property, especially at night, due to lack of a perimeter fence.
Mr Badru Kyonjo, who runs a butchery, says he is currently registering low sales due to lack of customers. He cited a lack of drainage system in the market, saying people cannot move easily when it rains due to stagnant water and thick mud piling up.
He adds: “The market also lacks enough toilets; there is only one (toilet) situated in the middle of the market, which is dysfunctional. Subsequently, some people have resorted to relieving themselves in corridors.”
Mr Kyonjo further explains that the lockups that were constructed in the market were turned into residential houses, lodges, and shrines, suggesting that all the people occupying the lockups need to be evicted so that the market can be reorganised.
Mr David Mande, the chairperson of the market, says despite being within the City, vendors cannot operate during night hours because of the absence of lights. “Most of the stalls are empty, because vendors can only operate during daytime,” he says.
According to Mr Mande, every vendor pays Shs500 as market dues, but nothing, he says, is recouped to address such challenges. “We want Council to rehabilitate the market by putting pavers, fencing it, constructing standard toilets, and putting security lights and guards.’’
Way forward
Ms Christiane Kayongo, the Jinja City Planner, says they received some funding from the Cities Alliance, which they will use to rehabilitate markets in the outskirts of the City, including Namulesa Market, to accommodate all vendors.
She said: “Namulesa Market is one of the beneficiaries from the funding we received from the Cities Alliance. We are to level the market, pave, roof, and install solar security lights to provide security for vendors’ merchandise so that they can work for many hours.”
Ms Kayongo says those who occupy lock ups as their residential homes within the market will be evicted.
The Jinja City Deputy Speaker, Ms Sirina Kyakuwaire, says the rehabilitation of Namulesa Market will improve the vendors’ income, employ more residents and accommodate 10,000 vendors, up from 106 currently occupying it.
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