Kisekka Market traders warned over bickering

PIC: Riot security personel patrolling Kyaggwe Road next to Kisekka Market atfer ademonstration on October 28,2017. (File photo)

KAMPALA - Traders operating in Kisekka market have been told to put aside their differences, unite to manage their businesses or risk losing them.

The traders have for close to 10 years been engaged in running battles with the Police over leadership wrangles.

The Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda; Kampala minister Beti Kamya and the leaders of the two rival factions, Geoffrey Kayita and Robert Kisembo, held a meeting in which they were advised to harmonise, lest they lose their businesses.

The traders were required to pay sh1.5m each to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for their leases in addition to membership and subscription fees (about sh50,000).

However, members of the rival faction led by Kayita, the interim chairman of Nakivubo Road Old Kampala (Kisekka) Market Vendors Ltd, had opposed to the payment of the lease, saying President Yoweri Museveni had given the market to traders for free.

Rugunda charged Kamya with heading a committee which will have two representatives from the factions, members from the local government ministry, lands, justice, KCCA and the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB).

According to Kisembo, out of the 2,500 stalls in the new market under construction only 1,700 shops have been sold out.

However, Kayita accuses Kisembo of registering 1,000 people, who were not traders in the market.

Kisekka market sits on 3.7 acres.

Court case
Last year, the High Court upheld Justice Lydia Mugambe's decision, who had directed the traders to convene an annual general meeting within 30 days to resolve their wrangles. Mugambe made the directives on January 11, 2017.
The judge further directed that the meeting be chaired by the registrar of companies and later furnish a report in court.

According to Kayita, Kisembo and his team instead connived with Mercy Kainobwisho, an official with URSB and conducted a meeting on January 28, 2017 without the knowledge of the traders and forged list of attendees.

They later furnished a report in court with their resolutions on February 1, 2017.

Genesis of the struggle
In 2009, the Government cancelled Rhino Investments limited lease, following numerous demonstrations by traders, protesting its takeover of the market.

Rhino is owned by Col. John Mugyenyi, who had secured the lease from Kampala City Council to redevelop the market.
The Government compensated Mugyenyi with sh15b.

The market was then handed back to the traders on the directive of President Yoweri Museveni to develop it themselves.

This resulted in the formation of Nakivubo Road-Old Kampala (Kisekka) Market Vendors Limited, an umbrella organisation for the traders.

On February 7, 2015, traders unanimously voted Kisembo and his team out of office, accusing them of incompetence over their alleged connivance with a number of city businessmen to deprive them of their market. They later elected Kayita.

Kayita later dragged Kisembo to court accusing him of among others things, holding association's office and conducting its business illegally since he was voted out.

In March 2015, Kisembo and his team signed a contract with Roko Construction Company limited to reconstruct the market.

However, in February last year, lands minister Persis Namuganza had directed the ongoing project to be halted, pending an amicable solution by the traders.