Anxiety as traders abandons Wandegeya market

By Lawrence Mulondo

Wandegeya market operators are worried about the rising number of traders leaving the market.

In an exclusive interview with the New Vision, the market chairperson Jonathan Gitta said that the market is supposed to be occupied by 1100 traders but they currently have only 70% of the number.

"Some people come into the market expecting to get high profits immediately so when they fail to do so, they leave the market," he said.

He also said that they have been forced to join up some lockups to get bigger ones after realizing that most of the traders leave the market because of limited space.

"The market will then be occupied by 900 traders after joining up several lockups instead of 1100 traders," he added. 

He further explained that the major problem of the market is luck of customers who think products and groceries in the market are at high prices.

Gitta pointed out that they are trying their best to advertise the market's location and products' prices to the public to boost business.

He however said the market is progressing though at a slow speed.

Rehema Ndagire, a trader in the market said that although they still have a problem of limited customers, they are working in a good environment.

She explained that the security of the area is good and the sanitation is perfect.

The market was officially opened on January 24, 2015 by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) as one of the solutions to street vending.

The sh22b Market has a banking hall, day-care centre, cold rooms, clinics, parking lots and fire detection systems, among other features.