Opening of Kasese central market pushed to next month

Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  |  Kasese Central Market will be occupied by traders next month. 

The 16 Billion Shillings Market was supposed to be opened to traders last month after being commissioned by President Museveni in December. It is one of the several markets countrywide that was rebuilt under the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme (MATIP-1) – a multi-million dollar project supported by the Government and the African Development Bank.

However, according to a letter written by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government Ettedu JJ Geoffrey, the market will be occupied after a vendor resettlement exercise. The exercise involves verifying the list of the vendors who were in the old market and ensure that they are allocated space in the new market. 

The exercise will be launched next month starting with a meeting of key stakeholders including municipal council technical staff, head of sections in the market among others. 

According to the Ettedu, the ministry has organized a team of technical officers to oversee and ensure that the exercise is properly done. 

The Kasese Deputy Town Clerk, Kairi Kambasu says that the exercise will be expedited to ensure vendors find suitable shelter as the rainy season begins.

However, he cautions traders from being duped by people pretending to be from the Ministry of Local Government and the council asking for money in the promise of giving them space in the new structure.

The market, which will accommodate about 800 vendors, will house food stalls, restaurants, banks, clinics, salons, fruit and vegetable stands, butcheries and a day-care centre.  It consists of 467 stalls and 311 lockup shops. 

The market was constructed by New China Company Limited. Construction of the market was supposed to begin in 2010 but was halted due to a land conflict between a businessman Paul Asaba and Kasese Municipal Council.

Asaba claimed ownership of the land where the market was supposed to be constructed.

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URN