Jinja leaders row over vendors
The eviction of vendors from Jinja Municipality streets has sparked off a bitter row among the top leadership.
BY CHARLES KAKAMWA
The eviction of vendors from Jinja Municipality streets has sparked off a bitter row among the top leadership.
The exercise, which commenced last Wednesday, followed a decision by the municipal council to evict vendors from the treets in the central business district.
Consequently, the law enforcement team, led by Moses Mawerere, on Wednesday stormed the streets and forcefully removed kiosks and traders’ merchandise.
However, in a turn of events, Jinja mayor Muhammed Baswale Kezaala on Monday condemned the exercise, describing it as untimely and illegal.
Kezaala ordered a halt to the exercise, arguing that because of the rising cost of living, the vendors should be evicted after they have been given alternative space.
He proposed that the 900 vendors be tolerated until 2013 when reconstruction of the Jinja central market will be complete.
Jinja central market, whose reconstruction is about to commence, is expected to have 7,000 stalls on completion.
However, municipal speaker Abubaker Maganda on Tuesday criticised the mayor, describing his actions as treacherous and aimed at gaining cheap popularity.
“The mayor was part of the meeting that decided to evict vendors from the central business district. It is unfortunate that he is turning around and denying his decisions,†Maganda said.
But Kezaala said despite signing the documents, he did not participate in the meeting.
The eviction of vendors from Jinja Municipality streets has sparked off a bitter row among the top leadership.
The exercise, which commenced last Wednesday, followed a decision by the municipal council to evict vendors from the treets in the central business district.
Consequently, the law enforcement team, led by Moses Mawerere, on Wednesday stormed the streets and forcefully removed kiosks and traders’ merchandise.
However, in a turn of events, Jinja mayor Muhammed Baswale Kezaala on Monday condemned the exercise, describing it as untimely and illegal.
Kezaala ordered a halt to the exercise, arguing that because of the rising cost of living, the vendors should be evicted after they have been given alternative space.
He proposed that the 900 vendors be tolerated until 2013 when reconstruction of the Jinja central market will be complete.
Jinja central market, whose reconstruction is about to commence, is expected to have 7,000 stalls on completion.
However, municipal speaker Abubaker Maganda on Tuesday criticised the mayor, describing his actions as treacherous and aimed at gaining cheap popularity.
“The mayor was part of the meeting that decided to evict vendors from the central business district. It is unfortunate that he is turning around and denying his decisions,†Maganda said.
But Kezaala said despite signing the documents, he did not participate in the meeting.