Rampant thefts in Buyaga town council scare away traders and investors

Residents storm onto a thief as security personnel want to be paid before they execute their duties

Bulambuli, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Traders including vendors in Buyaga town council, Bulambuli district have decried the increasing theft of their properties by unknown people.

According to the vendors, the Buyaga town council authorities haves failed to curb the continued thefts and robberies which have cost them dearly, wiping out a lot of capital.

They claim in a period of six months, at least 24 market stalls and 13 grocery shops have been broken into by unknown people and millions of shillings have been stolen yet nothing has been done by the authorities to restore sanity despite their pleas.

The angry traders also accuse the town council authorities for failing to install security lights as a measure to scale down the rampant thefts which they say have scared away prominent investors that had a stake in developing the town council.

Saphiat Muduwa and Irene Lunyolo, both fresh food dealers say majority of the traders rely on loans to sustain their businesses.

The increased theft according to them has rendered many of them jobless and their properties have been confiscated by money lending institutions.

Zubeda Kainza, a food supplier in the market says the management of the market collects revenue from them but has failed to address the persistent theft in the town council.

Paul Wangolo, a grocery shop dealer said that the town council has failed to provide security to the vendors due to corruption by the security personnel who want to be paid before they execute their duties.

Desilanta Lunyolo, the principal town clerk Buyaga town council admitted that cases of theft and burglary are rampant and that they are caused by people who illegally stay in the market.

She also attributed the robberies to the existing betting, lotteries and gaming companies whose clients leave late and are suspected of robbing people’s shops and market stalls, she explains.

The town clerk says Buyaga is a big town with so many challenges and the local revenue collected is too little to purchase security lights.

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