Gaba vendors want sh100b to develop market

Vendors at Gaba landing site market have asked government to give them a loan of sh100b to develop their market to modern standards, like the Wandegeya market.

They argue that it is ram-shackled, in poor state, there is a lot of flooding, and with such conditions, though it strategically located, it cannot attract serious business opportunities.

The market's chairman Francis Sabiiti said if the market is developed, it will be able to attract more serious business ventures like banks, hotels, playgrounds among others, thus creating employment opportunities for the residents.

He however made it clear that they do not want investors, because they (investors) could turn against them. The vendors want to develop it themselves.

The market which is on a five-acre piece of land was given to them by President Yoweri Museveni. They are leasing it for 49 years, and have been working on it for the last 13 years.

"I wrote to the president this year requesting for the loan of sh100b to build and upgrade this market, but he has not yet responded. In the market's leadership plan, we want to put up a five-storeyed building, which can accommodate among others, banks and daycare centres," said Sabiiti.

"Currently, renting a stall in the market is only sh100, 000 but with a developed market, it can increase to about sh500,000 and will be able to contribute more revenue to government."

Sabiti was speaking on the sidelines of a health camp which took place at Gaba landing site to commemorate World Aids Day.

It was organized by International Hospital Kampala (IHK) and its other partners and over 600 people turned up for free HIV and tuberculosis (TB) testing and counseling, free breast cancer and cervical cancer screening.

Sarah Namatovu, who owns a restaurant, said the market is disorganized, congested and when it rains, the entire market gets flooded, thus disrupting their work.

She said if the market is developed, the working conditions will improve.

On the other hand, the chairman said there are a number of issues the leadership is grappling with including limited security, drug abuse, prostitutions, risky sexual behaviors like some fishermen having multiple sexual partners, alcoholism and high rates of school drops.

He attributed these problems to high population rate, explaining that there are 3000 people that work in the market and over 20,000 that directly or indirectly benefit from the market.

"Where there are many people, you expect wrong characters; we work with police to rest whoever is found abusing drugs and this contributes to reduced cases. I also stock condoms in my office and youth are coming in large numbers to pick them. This can reduce on numbers of young people contracting HIV/AIDS," said Sabiiti.

Ruth Nalunga Ssegawa, projects manager and community coordinator, International Medical Foundation (IMF) said the camp was organized not only to give people free health services, but also educate them about the disease because they (fishermen and those that work at landing sites) are most at-risk populations of getting HIV/AIDS.