Mbarara– The State House Anti corruption Unit early this week, held a baraza with Mbarara City administrators, including, Nandawula Sarah, the Town Clerk- Mbarara City South Division, market leaders and vendors of Mbarara Central Market.
The meeting aimed at addressing the grievances that the vendors had raised, seeking ways to resolve the issues.
Emmanuel Muhumuza, the Chairperson of the Market Vendors, opened the meeting by thanking His Excellency, the President for constructing a beautiful, state-of-the-art structure for the traders. However, he highlighted several challenges that the vendors are facing, which hinder their operations and development. These challenges include;
Overcharging of electricity bills and frequent power blackouts.
Allegations of corruption within the Market Vendors’ Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO).
Extortion of vendors and inadequate office space, among others.
The vendors expressed concerns about being overcharged for electricity due to lack of individual meters, leading to unfair billing. They also requested alternative power sources, such as solar panels or generators, to use during blackouts.
In her remarks, Nandawula Sarah, the Mbarara City South Division Town Clerk, assured the vendors that their concerns were being addressed. She mentioned that the city has advertised for a service provider to install personal meters for each stall, which would help reduce overcharges and billing discrepancies. Additionally, she expressed interest in exploring alternative power sources to alleviate issues during power outages and to lower electricity costs in the market.
Principal legal Officer Sebikari Samuel, who led the team of investigators from SH-ACU emphasized that the unit’s mandate is to investigate issues related to corruption and embezzlement. He assured the vendors that they are taking measures to address the allegations and will work with relevant authorities, such as the Ministry of Local Government, the Resident City Commissioner, and the City Clerk’s office.
He added that investigations into the allegations of financial mismanagement in the SACCO and other related electricity issues will be expedited.
The Mbarara Central Market was constructed by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Local Government between 2015 and 2020, alongside 11 other markets, including Kitooro in Entebbe, Lugazi, Kasese, Masaka, Tororo, Busia, Soroti, Arua, Moroto, Kitgum, and Kabale.
The market is fully occupied, with over 1,700 vendors benefiting from the modern structure, the overall goal of the Market and Agricultural Investment Program (MATIP) was to contribute to poverty reduction and economic growth in Uganda by enhancing the marketing of agricultural produce and supporting small-scale businesspersons involved in informal businesses.
