Vendors on Edge After Devastating Fire at Kalerwe Market

A devastating fire that broke out at Kalerwe Market on Monday has left vendors in unaffected sections on edge, worried about the safety of their goods. The fire, which occurred around 1:46 a.m., destroyed several wooden stalls and kiosks, causing millions of shillings in damages. Those whose stalls remained untouched are living in fear, unsure of what might happen next. The fire is suspected to have been caused by electrical sparks from illegal power connections.

A joint investigation by Uganda’s electricity distribution company, UMEME, Police Fire and Rescue Service, and the Crime Investigations Directorate (CID) is underway to determine the exact cause of the fire that caused significant damage to Kalerwe Market. At the scene, a Uganda Radio Network reporter observed a joint team of police and UMEME officers gathering evidence and documenting the scene. The affected vendors appeared frustrated and distraught as they sat in empty spaces, processing the loss.

Aruna Ssebugwawo, the Market Master of Kizito Market, which also caught fire, recalled the moment he received a phone call informing him that the market was ablaze, including his clothes shop valued at 5 million shillings. “When I arrived, the scene was chaotic – everything was on fire. Mattresses and perfume shops accelerated the spread. The police fire team tried their best, but the wooden buildings made it difficult to salvage anything,” Ssebugwawo said.

He expressed concern that other markets built with similar wooden structures are vulnerable to fires and echoed the risks faced by Kizito Market. According to Ssebugwawo, the fire has left more than 70 vendors destitute, with their only hope for recovery lying in government aid.

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Prossy Namujuzi, a children's merchandise vendor, credited divine intervention for sparing her shop from the fire and expressed gratitude for the timely arrival of firefighters who prevented the blaze from spreading. However, she remains concerned that her side of the market remains vulnerable, especially given the wooden makeshift structures and informal electrical connections. 

“We’re also at risk here, living in wooden makeshift structures. If the fire was caused by electrical issues, we’re especially vulnerable since we don’t have meters, and everyone has their own unofficial connection,” Namujuzi explained.

Other vendors who were not affected by the fire have called on the government, through Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), to construct a more durable, permanent market structure, similar to Wandegeya Market, to ensure a secure environment for their businesses.

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Hajji Sura Ssewakyilyanga, Chairperson of the Muruya Section in Kalerwe Market, attributed many fire incidents to vendors’ preference for cheap, illegal electrical connections. “Our biggest challenge is vendors hiring untrained people for electrical connections, which leads to fires. Additionally, inaccessible passageways delay the fire brigade’s response. We urge KCCA to prioritize developing safe market infrastructure, instead of just collecting taxes from our people,” Ssewakyilyanga noted.

KCCA spokesperson Daniel Nuwabine clarified that, unlike Wandegeya and Kasubi markets, Kalerwe Market’s private ownership means KCCA can only provide regulatory frameworks but cannot execute improvements. “We only provide the standards, and in our recent inspection, we outlined safety measures such as passageways, toilets, and fire extinguishers, but these have yet to be implemented,” Nuwabine said.