KCCA takes over Usafi market

By Taddeo Bwambale

KAMPALA - The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has taken over management of Usafi market, following wrangles between its proprietor and the vendors.

KCCA also takes over the management of the adjacent taxi park. The market located at Kalitunsi in Mengo Kisenyi was officially opened on March 1, 2013.

KCCA entered into an agreement with a developer identified as Omar Ssekamatte and gazetted the market to accommodate vendors evicted from city streets.

However, traders at Usafi raised concern over its location, saying it was not strategically placed to attract customers. Some of the stalls have not been occupied.

The market has 5,000 stalls, but many of them are yet to be occupied.

KCCA spokesperson, Peter Kaujju said the Authority had taken over the day-to-day operations of the market but not its ownership.

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There have been wrangles between the traders and the owners of the market. PHOTO/Ronnie Kijjambu

“We learnt that there wrangles between the traders and the owners of the market. The traders complain of harassment while the owner cites non-payment of market fees,” Kaujju said.

“We are taking over the administration of the market to ensure that it runs smoothly and people carry on with their business.”

In June last year, following an outcry over high fees and low sales, the monthly charges for stalls were reduced from sh120,000 to sh80,000. But the traders still complained that the fees were high.

The proprietor of the market, Ssekamate had dissolved the leadership of the traders in the market for violating their trade agreement.

Usafi is one of 69 markets where up to 10,000 vendors operating along several streets were relocated to at  the height of a crackdown on street vending by KCCA.