The Parliament Public Service Committee has ordered for the investigation of Busia municipality leadership over alleged mismanagement of the central market.

The chairperson of the House committee, Martin Ojara Mapenduzi (Layibi-Bardege, Indep), issued the directive on Tuesday, March 19, 2024.

This was during a meeting between MPs, local government state minister Victoria Rusoke and the Busia political leadership, which was led by mayor Sadiki Amin. Others present included Busia Resident Commissioner (RDC) Micheal Kibwika and town clerk Ronald Ross Baganzi.

While issuing the order, Mapenduzi said in the prevailing circumstances, only an external hand can restore sobriety in the aforementioned leaders. Apparently, he noted that service delivery appears to have taken a dip because of politicking.  

The market

The trade facility situated in Solo C village, Busia Municipality, was constructed under phase 2 of the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme Project 2 (MATIP 2). Other municipalities that benefitted from this undertaking at the time, include Entebbe (Kitooro Market), Masaka, Mbarara, Arua, Moroto (Lopedur Market), Soroti, Tororo, Kasese, Busia and the town councils of Kitgum and Lugazi.

The Local Government Accounts committee chairperson Martin Ojara Mapenduzi chairing the committee on Tuesday.

Rusoke says the bulk of the money (shillings 326.7 billion) was a loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) while the Government contributed shillings 36.9 billion.

“As you are aware, MATIP II project was $84.2million and this was a loan and also funding of $9.53 million which targeted the construction of 12 markets and installation of three livelihood value addition facilities in these places,” she said.

According to Baganzi, the market was commissioned by President Yoweri Museveni three years ago. At maximum, it can ably accommodate 1,605 vendors, however, it has been reduced to a ghost structure.

“We have 717 lockup shops. Stalls are 851,” Baganzi said.

On top of that, the market manager, a one Lillian pointed out that the facility boasts of 10 storage places, 20 toilets, a chicken slaughter chamber, provision for a clinic, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) office space and a daycare centre.

“We have 680 active vendors. Some of them have signed tenancy agreements with us,” she added. 

Going by this, Mapenduzi contended that the market should be generating more revenue. Unfortunately, the opposite is true.

“So you have a market which is supposed to accommodate 1,605 vendors and then in a half year, your market is collecting sh34million. If you divide sh34 million by eight months, meaning Busia market is collecting sh4 million per month. You are not going to ask money from the Government to maintain that market,” he reminded officials.  

Poor hygiene

The development comes on the backheel of an oversight visit by the committee with glaring loopholes. While touring the market, Mapenduzi said during the inspection on March 5, this year, they were shell-shocked to encounter human waste.

“If I had the power that day, I would have closed that market. Terrible sanitation, very poor hygiene. There are lockups down on the ground floor, a very dark room and you find some people have turned some of those rooms into places of convenience. Some people use those rooms that are not occupied to ease themselves,” he said.

“There is a lack of water. The people running those restaurants in the lockups are using water from very unsafe sources. Fortunately, we have the leadership of the market, they will tell us again where they get water from,” Mapenduzi added.

He said they discovered that the market is under-occupied, which can partly be blamed on the way the market was planned and local politics.

Vendors speak out

Former Mayor Micheal Mugeni who also operates a stall said until politics is relegated, hopes that the market shall be fully occupied are faint.

“I have been in that market from day one and stay in that market for eight hours every day apart from Sunday. So, I know what is happening in that market,” Mugeni affirmed.

He accused Mayor Sadiki Amin of forestalling efforts to dismantle ungazetted markets. However, Francis Odero, the Busia municipality speaker also apportioned the blame on a section of local leaders. 

“Just like they say, the mayor is telling people, don’t go to the market. Also, there are these telling people not to pay because the market is not functioning. The two LC III chairpersons are telling people not to pay,” he said.

Mayor responds

Sadiki Amin denied the allegations that he is behind ungazetted markets.

“We started complaining in 2010 when I was a member of the produce committee. Who changed the design, before I carry the cross?” he posed. 

“We have the kayoola, arobaini, sofia and maweero markets. A resolution was passed on May 26, 2015. The ex-mayor who is the leader of the business people is the one who gazetted these markets. Through my leadership and the municipal council, we wrote a letter closing those markets and I want to submit all the minutes,” Sadiki further submitted.

All said and done, it is understood that minister Rusoke has dispatched a team to study challenges bedeviling the legacy project.