Pau Kiwuuwa   and Julie Waiswa                            

KAMPALA - Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has reduced monthly charges for stalls in Usafi Market from sh120,000 to sh80,000.

“KCCA has agreed  to reduce the  monthly rent charged per stall in Usafi Market from sh120,000, to  sh80,00 to enable vendors  pay an affordable rent,” Jennifer Musisi, the KCCA executive director, revealed during a press briefing.

The market is located at Kalitunsi in Mengo Kisenyi, a few minutes away from the city centre. Officially opened on March 1 this year, Usafi was targeting to absorb vendors evicted from streets on orders of KCCA recently.

Joseph Kagolo, the chairman of the market, said the market has 5,000 stalls, but less than 500 have been occupied.

KCCA’s Musisi warned adamant vendors still operating on streets to vacate and find space in the new market.

“We shall continue arresting all vendors who are still operating on the streets,” came her warning.

She also directed vendors who had already paid for their stalls to occupy, lest they lose them to other traders if they remain idle.

Allen Namitala, a vendor already operating at Usafi, said some vendors were still not sure that they will get customers at the market

This is the very reason they are reluctant to pay for the stalls.

There have been concerns over the location of the new market, with some traders saying the market is not strategically placed, which, they claim, will hardly earn them customers for their commodities.