More than 3,500 vendors operating at Amber Court Farmers’ Market in Jinja City are set to be relocated to pave the way for the expansion and operationalisation of Jinja Airfield, raising uncertainty over the future of one of eastern Uganda’s busiest fresh produce markets. The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has asked Jinja City Council to relocate the market within three months, saying its continued operation poses safety risks and could affect the licensing and future operations of the upgraded aerodrome.
Amber Court Farmers’ Market sits on a 4.5-acre piece of land belonging to the Ministry of Defence along the Jinja–Mbulamuti–Bukungu Road. It borders Jinja Airfield on one side and Gaddafi Barracks on the other. The market is a major trading hub for fresh agricultural produce, including matooke, green vegetables and Irish potatoes, attracting traders from Kampala, Mukono, Buikwe, Mbale, Buvuma, Budaka and other parts of the country.
In a letter to Jinja City authorities, UCAA Director of Airports and Aviation Security Ayub Sooma said the land occupied by the market is required to complete the upgrading of the runway, taxiway and apron at Jinja Airfield. “The airport with upgraded infrastructure is expected to attract more traffic and accommodate more advanced and sophisticated aircraft. The land currently occupied by Amber Court Farmers’ Market is required to be levelled as part of the airstrip,” Sooma wrote.
He also warned that the market generates waste that attracts birds, wildlife and domestic animals, creating a safety hazard for aircraft operations. According to Sooma, the market’s continued presence contravenes Regulations 272(4) and (5) of the Civil Aviation (Aerodromes) Regulations, 2022, and could jeopardise the certification and operation of the aerodrome after the upgrade.
UCAA has requested that the market be relocated within 90 days to allow completion of civil works and construction of the airport perimeter fence in compliance with the Civil Aviation (Security) Regulations, 2022. Amber Court Market Chairperson Ayub Kitamirike said vendors had only heard about the relocation through rumours and social media and had not yet received official communication from Jinja City Council.
He said the uncertainty has caused anxiety among the market’s more than 3,500 vendors. Kitamirike recalled that the market faced a similar eviction threat about eight years ago from the Ministry of Defence, but the then Jinja municipal authorities successfully negotiated for the vendors to remain. “We have enjoyed a reasonable level of stability, but when reports about a 90-day eviction involved our neighbours at the airport, I realised the matter was genuine,” he said.
While acknowledging the importance of the airport project, Kitamirike appealed to government to provide the traders with a suitable alternative site before any relocation is undertaken. “We cannot oppose such an important government project, but we need to be resettled in a place where we can continue earning a living,” he said. Jinja City Public Relations Officer Rajab Kitto said the city plans to relocate the market to Budondo, a well-established agricultural production area. He appealed to vendors to remain calm, saying the relocation process would be handled transparently and with due consideration for their welfare-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
