It is four years after the Kasese central market was commissioned by the president of Uganda, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The market was constructed under the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Program (MATIP) by China New Era with funds from the African Development Bank to facilitate proper handling of food at approximately 14.9 bn Ugandan shillings to accommodate about 800-1000 vendors operating in Kasese Municipality.
A bigger part of the Kasese central market four years later remains unoccupied while vendors are abandoning the stalls that were initially occupied despite its attractive face.
Vendors attribute the development to the high cost of operations including high electricity and water bills which they say do not make up a favorable atmosphere for them to work and earn a living.
They add that the design of the gazetted lock ups and the entire market do not facilitate smooth business running.
“Right from the entrance to the exit points, the design was not good. This makes it tricky for the customers to come in and transact with us.” Biira Joviah, a vendor told Tayari
Remegio Masereka, vendor who is also charged with the security of the market says the place in insecure.
“The market has poor lighting system and this has increased insecurity. There is now people are going to work in the dark. We also lack enough man power to keep watch of the businesses here,” he said
The taxes levied on the commodities sold in the market have made it complicated for business to thrive, according to Alex Mukara, a vendor.
Acknowledging the gravity of the challenge, the Nyamwamba division town clerk, Didas Bitibangi says there is already an outlined plan to solve the challenges that vendors are facing across the municipal council.
‘We have planned to do zoning of vendors as a way of ensuring that the challenges they are facing get lasting solutions. When we zone them, we shall know that this group of vendors operates from here and another one is somewhere else,” he said
There are reports that a number of vendors have found the Mawa market as an alternative since they find it favorable.