Nakawa market vendor found dead inside shop

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A vendor in Nakawa market has been found dead in her shop. The deceased is Hadija Nakyanzi, who has been operating shop number SH118 in Nakawa market. Information obtained from other vendors indicates that Nakyanzi alias Hajjat has been a resident of Salaama in Makindye division and has been sleeping in the market in line with the presidential directive to contain the second wave of Covid-19.

They however say that their colleagues were shocked this morning to find her dead when they went to pick their merchandise from her shop at around 5 am. The vendors would open the shop from outside and let the deceased push from inside to open. However, the vendors say that they opened the door and knocked for Nakyanzi to push the door like the case has been but there was no response.

They called her name in vain until they decided to push the door and found her lifeless body in a kneeling position. Joseph Sanyi who owns a stall close to Nakyanzi’s shop says that he last saw the deceased on Tuesday evening. She reportedly looked fine and only complained of some pain on the hand after receiving her second Covid-19 jab.

Sanyi says Nakyanzi has been working in the market for more than seven years but only acquired shop 118 two months ago. Previously, Nakyanzi worked in the fruits section selling watermelon. Amina Namatovu who also owns a stall near Nakyanzi’s shop says that she left Nankyazi in the market last evening without any visible sign of illness.

Nakawa market chairman Joseph Mudasi says that he last saw the deceased at 7 pm when they were making their night operations in the market as vendors closed their shop to sleep. He was however surprised to learn that she had died.

The Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Luke Oweyesigyire says police has not yet established the cause of death. He however says that one of the deceased’s relatives informed them that she had diabetes and hypertension. He says that a team from the Health Ministry picked the body in the presence of police and took it to the mortuary at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

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