By Our Reporter
KAMPALA – A section of Kampala city market leaders and vendors are currently cursing KCCA’s Director for Gender, Community Services and Production, Sheila Birungi over letters she is currently distributing in Kampala markets accusing vendors of disregarding presidential directives in Kampala markets.
This publication has seen one of the letters written on October 2, where Birungi tells vendors occupying commercial facilities to re-apply when advertised in the papers. These facilities include; Day Care Centres, multipurpose halls, cold rooms, a pharmacy, retail shops, restaurants, banking halls and parking spaces. This has resulted in a sharp disagreement and exchange between KCCA and vendors.
Addressing the media on Tuesday morning at Wandegeya market, vendors who were led by Ssemwanje Fred, Kasule Emmanuel, Abdullah Bweete, Agnes Kyobutungyi and others, expressed their concerns and appealed to President Museveni to quickly intervene before things escalate into blood shade.
They accuse KCCA which has for some time been quiet on their grievances but all of a sudden rose to give them letters of re-applying for the lockups and stalls they have been occupying ever since President Museveni banned landlords from government markets.
They are now calling all Kampala market vendors to unite and fight for their belongings, saying that what affects Wandegeya, affects all of them but also the move contradicts presidential directives on markets noting that KCCA is trying to auction non-existent stalls in a disguise.
They revealed that when President Museveni threw out landlords from Wandegeya market, there were a few stalls and lockups which were not occupied and were sold off by KCCA market masters and administrators.
They allege that these were being sold at Shs10m while others were being rented out at Shs3m-5m, adding that having finished them, they have now resorted to the ones occupied by vendors. They also informed the public that it’s not surprising that Wandegeya has had over 10 market masters. In addition but also surprising, the lockups being auctioned are on the first floor and the front and currently occupied.
Concerning the daycare centre and the parking, the vendors reminded KCCA that it has been accommodating space for their customers, wondering where they will park.
Abdul Bweete, the chairperson of Wandegeya market special hire says their stage was gazetted and has been working for some time. He says that it’s not fair if they are forcefully removed from the market yet some of them work at night which has been so helpful to both vendors and the community.
They further revealed that they have already petitioned the prime minister to address their concerns.
They also called the office of the IGG and police to come on the ground and investigate some of the KCCA officials, noting that they are aware KCCA wants to collect revenue but implored them to always engage stakeholders instead of issuing a decree which has now become a threat to their livelihood.