MBARARA: 300 fail to make it to new market list

Mbarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 300 vendors have missed out on the newly verified Mbarara Central Market list.

Two weeks ago Raphael Magyezi, the Local Government Minister appointed a 25-member committee chaired by the Acting Principal Commercial Officer Joseline Kiconco to carry out a new verification of the previous list of vendors.

The committee was given one week to verify and display the lists on the public notice board for three days. The verified list included the one that was compiled by officials from the Ministry of local government, Office of the Resident City Commissioner, Mbarara City Council, and the previous leadership of the vendors Association.

When the list that has 900 vendors was displayed, some vendors protested that their names were missing.

Swaleh Ayubu Ntaazi, one of the affected vendors says he has been selling in the market since 1983 and owned a kiosk. He adds that he was registered on all the lists and signed the Memorandum of Understanding with the Local Government Ministry.

Ntaazi, says that his name was deleted from the last list without his knowledge.

Sanyu Nanyazi another vendor says that she appeared on all the previous lists and was allocated a lockup, but was told not to pay.

Hajjat Mariam Nalweyiso, another affected vendor accused the new leadership of the vendors of bias.

The affected vendors have petitioned the Mbarara City Traders Association.

Emmanuel Muhumuza, the Acting Chairperson of the Vendors Association, says that the verification exercise is still ongoing. He called for calm among the vendors who are missing from the new list.

Simon Mwijuka Seezi, the Chairperson Mbarara City Traders Association says they have registered over 300 vendors who are protesting being removed from the list.

Richard Mugisha, the Deputy Town Clerk says the vendors should file their complaint to the appeals committee that is chaired by the Resident City Commissioner-RCC.

The 21 Billion Shillings market constructed under the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Project (MATIP) with funding from the African Development Bank is a two-storied facility constructed to accommodate 1000 vendors.

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