The council argues that the vendors were disrupting business in the city and had also depleted the green belts in the town. The affected traders include timber dealers, welders, mechanics, street vendors that have been operating along Victor Bwana road, Akiiki Nyabongo road, Aharibiri along Mbarara Masaka road among others.
Mbarara City Council authorities have agreed to relocate more than
100 traders from the city centre. The council argues that the vendors were
disrupting business in the city and had also depleted the green belts in the
town.
The affected traders include timber dealers, welders, mechanics, street vendors
that have been operating along Victor Bwana road, Akiiki Nyabongo road,
Aharibiri along Mbarara Masaka road among others.
The first category of traders to relocate is the welders and timber/furniture
dealers who will be taken to Amagara Marungi Business Park in Koranorya
about four kilometres outside the city centre.
The relocation follows an agreement between the owners of about 6 acres of
land, Amagara Marungi Business Company in Biharwe Mbarara City North Division.
Enos Baryomunsi, the councillor representing the elder persons who protested
the resolution of the city executive on the relocation of the traders says the
council should visit the land and determine the size
of space to be given to each trader, the fees they are supposed to pay and among other issues before the relocation.
//Cue in: “nyineho issue aha…
Cue out: …bakatayo businesses zabo.”//
Muhammad Byansi, the Mbarara City North representative questioned
how the Mayor and his executive zeroed on Amagara Business Park without
consulting the concerned people.
//Cue in: “executive ekintu kyamagara…
Cue out: … ebintu mubiteke omuorder.”//
Byansi says that the city has land that can be used rather than hiring privately owned land.
Bonny Tashobya Karushya, the Speaker Mbarara City Council Speaker
says that in the previous council, it was agreed that the vendors are free to relocate from the city centre to other places along Kabale,
Bushenyi, Isingiro roads along Rwizi lane and Nyarubanga park as long as the
place is gazetted for business.
//Cue in: “by the way…
Cue out: …little bit gazetted.”//
Tashobya directed the city planner to visit the place and ascertain if it is fit for the traders.
//Cue in: “but what we…
Cue out: …modifications come later.”//
Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi, the City Mayor says they are focusing on
organizing the city and settling traders in specific places. He adds that the traders are free to conduct
their businesses outside the central business district.
//Cue in: “so hati ekitwanitwenda…
Cue out: …aha tuuze kubirebamu.”//
The councillors agreed that traders should be left to relocate to
the places of their choice and those willing to go to Amagara business park should
relocate.
