In November 2022, President Yoweri Museveni disbanded market leadership in all public markets in Kampala and ordered for the immediate hand over of the operations of these markets to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director.
According to Minister of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Hon. Minsa Kabanda, the President ordered KCCA to assume full administration of the markets for effective leadership and operations.
“KCCA will deploy staff at all the government markets who will guide the market vendors on the immediate steps to be taken so that they can carry on their activities,” the press release quoted the President as directing, adding that vendors shall pay periodic rental fees (monthly/annually) to KCCA which money shall be used to pay for services like Security, garbage collection and cleaning, electricity in open spaces and Toilets.
The President further directed that distribution of stalls in the markets should be on a one person one stall principle. In some markets like Owino where stalls are shared, the president said each person should be registered as an individual owner.
“KCCA should have a plan to allocate these vendors their own lockups or stalls in future expansion,” Said minister Kabanda.
These directives were issued in a meeting held at State House Entebbe yesterday 16th November 2022, attended by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, Ministers for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Executive Director KCCA and other Stake holders who included some members of the now disbanded Market leadership.
There is fear among some vendors following a scheduled meeting by the Federation of Uganda Traders Associations (FUTA) leadership led by John Kabanda that is mobilizing the various vendors in markets to attend next Tuesday 18th February 2025 in the new Taxipark.
John Kabanda FUTA chairman speaking to Spyreports, clarified that they were approached by some vendors from Owino, Busega, Kasubi and Nakasero markets seeking platform to address their problems and helped in bridging the gap between them and authorities.
“We are inviting only those with problems to come on Tuesday 18th February 2025 and address them to the ministers of trade, Kampala and KCCA executive director” Kabanda Told Spyreports.
However, St Balikuddembe Market NRM chairperson who also doubles as Head of Markets Team Thorough YKM Ssalongo Charles Ssebuufu expressed fear noting that, the move is a plot that may drive market vendors back to disbanded leadership.
“The markets have been stabilized with the KCCA operations but the federation intends to reinstate the leaders that had brought a lot of confusion”.Said Ssebuufu.
Kabanda has assured the vendors to stay focused on advocacy to solving the problems they face in their daily running of businesses.
According to the President it is the responsibility of vendors to pay for utilities within their specific stalls or lockups and where possible each stall or lockup be fitted with water and electricity.
In order to create more working space for vendors evicted from the streets, the President has asked KCCA to establish two markets in each of the five divisions in the city.
KCCA has 16 public markets and these include; Wandegeya, Owino/St. Balikuddembe, Nakasero, Bugoloobi, Nateete, Busega, Nakawa, Kiswa, Luzira, Usafi, Kasubi, Kamwokya, Kinawataka, Kiseka, Namuwongo I, Numuwoongo II.
We wandered the site with busloads of other tourists, yet strangely the place did not seem crowded. I’m not sure if it was the sheer size of the place, or whether the masses congregated in one area and didn’t venture far from the main church, but I didn’t feel overwhelmed by tourists in the monastery.
Headed over Lions Bridge and made our way to the Sofia Synagogue, then sheltered in the Central Market Hall until the recurrent (but short-lived) mid-afternoon rain passed.
Feeling refreshed after an espresso, we walked a short distance to the small but welcoming Banya Bashi Mosque, then descended into the ancient Serdica complex.
We were exhausted after a long day of travel, so we headed back to the hotel and crashed. I had low expectations about Sofia as a city, but after the walking tour I absolutely loved the place. This was an easy city to navigate, and it was a beautiful city despite its ugly, staunch and stolid communist-built surrounds. Sofia has a very average facade as you enter the city, but once you lose yourself in the old town area, everything changes.
