Pineapple roadside vendors in Luwero plan for sh150million market

Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | More than 1,000 roadside vendors in Luwero district are seeking 150 million Shillings to construct a permanent market.

10 years ago, vendors cleared bushes at Kasaala village in Luwero sub-county along the Kampala-Gulu highway and erected temporary shelters to create a market to sell pineapples and other agricultural produce to travelers. The number of vendors has now risen from 30 to 1000 which has since been named Balikyejjusa roadside market.

Yosea Mubiru, the Chairperson of Balikyejjusa roadside market says that the temporary structures are dilapidated and are on the verge of collapsing after accommodating them for 10 years.

Mubiru adds that the market has also run out of space due to the influx of vendors.

Mubiru says that as a result, they have launched a campaign to mobilize over 150 million Shillings to construct permanent stalls, offices, stores, and ample space for car parking among other facilities.

He adds that in the first phase, they intend to spend 78 million shillings on the construction of the new market.

Justine Nansamba, a vendor says that they are also at risk of accidents as they chase travelers. Nansamba says that after the completion of the market, travelers will be able to park in the upgraded space and buy fruits directly from stalls.

Other vendors complained of working in the scorching sun daily and sometimes in the rain over lack of enough space to accommodate all of them in stalls.

On Sunday, vendors were able to raise over 20 million shillings in fundraising to kick off the construction.

Ronald Ndawula the National Resistance Movement Party Chairman for the Luwero district says that the market is among the few sectors that employ large numbers of people but it is unfortunate little has been done by local leaders to help the struggling vendors get better facilities.

Ndawula pledged to donate building materials comprising 30 iron bars, 50 bags of cement, and 180 iron sheets to enable the vendors to construct the market.

Brenda Nabukenya the Luwero District Woman Member of Parliament says that unlike other areas, Luwero has no market constructed by the central government and traders were operating in squalid conditions from makeshifts.

Nabukenya also decried losses incurred by farmers due to the lack of juice processing plants to add value to their produce.

Luwero district has abundant fruits but they are sold on roadsides along the highway due to lack of a fruit processing plant.

In February 2008, pineapple farmers in Luwero under the Natural Uganda Cooperative Society Limited petitioned President Museveni demanding a processing plant, to add value to their organic pineapple.

President Museveni ordered the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry to inject one billion shillings into the project.

In February 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry in conjunction with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning released  115 million Shillings for phase one.

The money was used to purchase a five-acre piece of land for the plant in Luweero town council, but the ministry has since failed to inject more money to push the project ahead.

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