Balaam kicks tenderers out, hands Sheema matooke markets to traders
“You will be paying sh15 million of what you collect monthly to the council and the rest of the money you use to develop yourselves. This is better, as the money will be benefiting many instead of the three members of the group that currently has the tender to manage the market,” Balaam said.
Minister Balaam's first stop was Itendero Market, where matooke traders complained about being relocated by the council from Itendero town to Nyabuhama, on the outskirts of Itendero. (Credit: Lawrence Mulondo)
Local government minister Balaam Barugahara has ordered tenderers out of matooke markets in Sheema district and directed that traders be given the tenders to manage the markets themselves.
The minister said tenderers had exploited traders for years by collecting millions of shillings from the markets while remitting very little to local councils and providing no services or development in return.
He issued the directive during his Expose the Corrupt anti-corruption crusade and monitoring visit to Sheema district on Saturday (November 6).
His first stop was Itendero Market, where matooke traders complained about being relocated by the council from Itendero town to Nyabuhama, on the outskirts of Itendero.
The minister directed Sheema municipality mayor Lukia Nakalisa not to renew the current tender when it expires at the end of this financial year. He said the traders should organise themselves into a SACCO and be given the tender to manage the market.
“You will be paying sh15 million of what you collect monthly to the council, and the rest of the money you use to develop yourselves. This is better, as the money will be benefiting many instead of the three members of the group that currently has the tender to manage the market,” he said
The traders accused the current tenderer of imposing draconian conditions, including providing their own trucks as the only vehicles allowed to transport matooke from the market to Kampala, at a high cost
Adrine Atuhiirwe, a trader at the market, said traders in other markets paid sh2,000 to transport each bunch of matooke to Kampala, while the tenderers at Itendero charged sh3,000 per bunch, which she described as expensive.
“They often leave our matooke in the market yard and refuse to transport it, claiming it is little food, yet they don’t allow other trucks to come in and support us,” she said.
The traders also told the minister that they had no recognised elected market leadership. During the visit, he asked them to nominate candidates they considered suitable to lead them, followed by an election
The new chairperson also told the minister that the market had no lighting at night because the solar light installed there had stopped working long ago.
The market has about 5,000 traders. (Credit: Moses Mulondo)
The minister also inspected a two-stance toilet constructed at a cost of sh20 million. He asked the new leadership to collect money this month to build additional latrine stances and a bathroom for women.
He directed the mayor to complete the existing building at the market to accommodate a daycare centre for women working there and an office for the women.
The minister was also informed that the current tenderer collected sh38 million monthly but remitted only sh10 million to the Government, retaining the balance.
The market has about 5,000 traders.
The traders said their relocation had affected business, with low sales and the lock-ups obstructing the display of matooke.
They also complained that the market had been designed with the matooke loading area at the back, far from the main road.
The minister directed that the matooke parking yard be moved to the front of the market, since matooke was its main business, with the lock-ups arranged in a U-shape around the sides of the parking yard
He said the land on which the market previously operated in Itendero was privately owned and that the Government would establish whether the owner was willing to sell it.
The minister later visited Kabwohe Matooke Market, where traders complained that the current tenderer had operated the market for 20 years without providing adequate services or development. (Credit: Lawrence Mulondo)
Kabwohe traders get relief
The minister later visited Kabwohe Matooke Market, where traders complained that the current tenderer had operated the market for 20 years without providing adequate services or development.
He directed the mayor not to renew the tender when it expires in June and said the traders should organise themselves to take over its management, as proposed for Itendero Market.
The tenderer at Kabwohe pays sh6 million to the council but collects considerably more from traders. The minister said the tenderer collected more than sh40m monthly but remitted only sh6m to the council, retaining the balance.
He said that if traders took over the tender, they would collect sh40m monthly and remit sh10m to the council, while putting the remaining sh30m into their SACCO for development.
He added that within a few months, the traders could buy their own joint trucks to transport matooke to Kampala
The minister said the traders should initially be given a two-year tender and, if they performed well, it could be extended to 10 years
He said the government would work with them to improve their working conditions.
The traders also told the minister that they had no leader. Candidates were nominated, and an election was conducted.
He said the candidate who received the most votes would become chairperson, the runner-up vice-chairperson and the third-placed candidate treasurer
At the end of the voting, Shafiq Segirinya was elected chairperson of the market.