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Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The lack of harmonized leadership is delaying the process for the relocation of vendors to the newly built Masaka City Central Market.
The 18.05 billion shillings modern market had been under construction since 2018 until it was handed over for use to Masaka City council at the beginning of this month.
It was constructed under the second phase of the Markets at Agricultural Trade Improvement Program-MATIP II, which was funded by a loan from the African Development Bank-ADB.
However, the market is yet to be occupied over the on-going disputes over leadership among vendors, which prompted the City Council to keep it locked. The current controversy stems from the two conflicting lists of vendors that were submitted to the City Council Commercial Officer by parallel factions that both claimed to be genuine leaders of the market.
A section of vendors is accusing Elizabeth Nakayiza, the Vice Chairperson of Masaka City NRM Women’s League of trying to patronize the new market for selfish political gains.
Vincent Sseremba, one of the vendors dealing in Matooke alleges that Nakayiza has since 2014 clung to the leadership of the market even after she was denounced by the majority of the vendors due to dishonesty.
He alleges that using her political clout, Nakayiza edited the original lists of vendors who previously occupied the old market, with intentions of locking out ring leaders of groups that opposed her disputed leadership.
As a result, Sseremba, indicates that the aggrieved vendors mobilized and set up new leadership which eventually generated an all-inclusive list that was also submitted to the City authorities for consideration in the process of allocation of space.
But Elizabeth Nakayiza also insists that she is still the legitimate Chairperson of the vendors association, arguing that she cannot allow anybody to take her authority. She alleges that her detractors have never been appreciative of the government projects.
Achilles Mawanda, the Masaka City Deputy Mayor says following the misunderstanding, they halted the process of relocating the vendors into the new market, and referred the matter to the Ministry of Local government for guidance and eventual management as an independent arbiter.
He indicates that they already forwarded both lists to the Ministry for proper scrutiny as the City authorities also workout modalities for resolving the vendors’ leadership dispute.
However, some of the vendors who are currently operating in an open space in Masaka Children’s Park are worried that the disputes may drag on, which is to their disadvantage.
Frank Mwebaze, one of the vendors dealing in household utensils, is afraid that the disputes may attract more vendors hence increasing the scramble for space.
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