What next? Vendors speak out
Feb 27, 2009
GOVERNMENT should assist us. We have no alternative. Some of us have bank loans and Micro-finance institutions. We fear that our debtor may grab our household property.†These were the pleas of a number of vendors who lost merchandise worth billions of
GOVERNMENT should assist us. We have no alternative. Some of us have bank loans and Micro-finance institutions. We fear that our debtor may grab our household property.†These were the pleas of a number of vendors who lost merchandise worth billions of shillings in the Nakivubo Park yard market fire on Wednesday morning.
Saturday Vision’s Florence Nakayi spoke to some of the vendors.
Judith Namutebi, a student of Uganda Christian University, Mukono, in her final year is thinking of asking for a dead year. She has been dealing in second hand clothes to raise her tuition. Unfortunately, she had not raised this semester tuition. Namutebi says she had a loan of sh1m.
Deborah Nanteza, a physically handicapped widow remained speechless for minutes. She is a mother of two, one in Senior One and another in a nursery school. Her husband, the late Nankunda Muwanga who was the LC councillor for Kampala died in a car accident in 2006.
Teo Nakafeero, 60, a second hand clothes vendor was one of the founders of the market in 1985. I am struggling to look after my grandchildren (orphans). I started with sh40,000.
Yasin Kayongo, 35, and a father of six joined the market in 1992. He lost sh15m and bales of old shoes worth sh20m. I left the money in the market hoping to bring new stock the following day. In total I lost sh35m in the fire.
George William Wamala, 35, and a father of seven joined the yard in the 1990’s. I had accumulated sh2m from sh150,000 I started with. It’s painful. I have lost all my effort.
Jane Kivumbi, 48, a single mother had just set up a foundation of her house in Nansana. She has four orphans whom she looks after. Government should intervene immediately otherwise our children are going to suffer.
Saturday Vision’s Florence Nakayi spoke to some of the vendors.
Judith Namutebi, a student of Uganda Christian University, Mukono, in her final year is thinking of asking for a dead year. She has been dealing in second hand clothes to raise her tuition. Unfortunately, she had not raised this semester tuition. Namutebi says she had a loan of sh1m.
Deborah Nanteza, a physically handicapped widow remained speechless for minutes. She is a mother of two, one in Senior One and another in a nursery school. Her husband, the late Nankunda Muwanga who was the LC councillor for Kampala died in a car accident in 2006.
Teo Nakafeero, 60, a second hand clothes vendor was one of the founders of the market in 1985. I am struggling to look after my grandchildren (orphans). I started with sh40,000.
Yasin Kayongo, 35, and a father of six joined the market in 1992. He lost sh15m and bales of old shoes worth sh20m. I left the money in the market hoping to bring new stock the following day. In total I lost sh35m in the fire.
George William Wamala, 35, and a father of seven joined the yard in the 1990’s. I had accumulated sh2m from sh150,000 I started with. It’s painful. I have lost all my effort.
Jane Kivumbi, 48, a single mother had just set up a foundation of her house in Nansana. She has four orphans whom she looks after. Government should intervene immediately otherwise our children are going to suffer.