When Lukwago toured Wandegeya market
Aug 19, 2016
The traders told Lukwago that they want market rent reduced, citing that what is charged is almost ten time what they used to pay in the old market.
PIC: Eva Mbabazi, a food vender cries as she narrates her ordeal on how her property was taken by the market management to the Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago and the Councillors on August 17, 2016.Photos/ Ramadhan Abbey
The Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago accompanied by a team of councilors from Makindye, Kawempe, Nakawa and Kyambogo on Wednesday toured Wandegeya market to forge a way forward for traders in the market who claim that the market leaders charges them high fees.
The traders told Lukwago that they want market rent reduced, citing that what is charged is almost ten time what they used to pay in the old market.
The traders also want to elect their leaders from within the market, urging that Kampala Capital City Authority imposed leadership on them which treats them unfairly.
"We have a chairman called Jonathan Gitta, he does not give traders breathing space to look for money for rent, by 15 of any month they throw us out or confiscate our property," Mai Nabukenya, a market vendor said.
After the meeting, Lukwago advised the traders to come up with a five man interim committee which will liaise with his office on matters affecting their market.
"We want to respect you as traders and we shall ensure that we organize election for the market leadership," Lukwago said.
He also assured traders that his office will investigate circumstances under which the middlemen are taking over the market.
Traders pay between sh.100,000 to sh600,000
Wandegeya market was constructed under the Markets and Agricultural Trader Improvement Project I with funding of sh22Bn from the African Development Bank.