A market constructed by the Ministry of Works in
Lukaya along the Kampala-Masaka highway in Kalungu district continues to be shunned by the intended beneficiaries. Authorities in the area are confused about what to do with it as it goes to waste under their watch.
The
new market with several stalls is located before the renowned Lukaya old private
roadside market. It is located in the Lwera area. The stopover is popular for
roasted chicken, beef, and soft drinks.
The
Ministry of Works and Transport spent over 3.7 Billion shillings to construct
it hoping that vendors operating in the old market would take up the spacious stalls.
However,
to the surprise of the authorities at Nyendo Town Council, the vendors have
declined to transfer to the new market three years since its commissioning.
The
Lukaya market joins a string of other structures constructed by the government with
funding from borrowed money. Many such structures stand out like white
elephants because they are not utilized for the intended purposes.
The
targeted vendors reportedly declined to occupy it, complaining about poor
structural design workmanship. Vendors said it was not appropriate for
their businesses, indicating that it sits in a low-lying location.
The answered
question is whether studies were conducted before it was located in that area.
Lukaya
Town Council Chairperson, Charles Tamale said they have opted to convince a
private player to operate it hoping that he would woo other vendors to take up
stalls for selling agricultural products.
Tamale
observes that the multi-billion market had almost gone to waste, with some of
its installations beginning to wear out.
He
explains that despite the huge investment, the Town Council was not making any
revenue from the market as expected, and it was instead becoming a burden,
which they had to offload by finding any possible ways of putting the facility
to use.
//Cue in: “nga kanso twafuna…..
Cue in: …..okuyimirayo mu katale.”//
The
Markets Act of 2023 prohibits the tendering of government markets to private
individuals. It instead gives absolute powers to local governments to appoint
technical administrators to manage markets on their behalf.
Tamale
explains that last year, as a local government, they formally appealed to the
Ministry of Local Government to provide funds for remodeling of the market to
fit into the needs of the vendors, but their plea yielded no response,
prompting them to look for local remedies.
Ismail Kafeero Madugu, a local businessman who was trusted with
the management of the market indicates that he intends to partly use the
facility for private businesses, as well as remodeling some of the stalls to
attract vendors into it.
//Cue in: “akatale kagaana…..
Cue out: ….tukatekewo kati.”//
Janipher Nanyonga, a vegetable dealer who is among the vendors that had
earlier occupied the market and later abandoned the stalls, says they have no
problem with the facility being allocated to the private businessman.
According to Nanyonga, besides flooding, the market lacks proper parking
space for their targeted customers who are mainly passengers in transit.
