Every morning, Nakasero Market bursts into life as trucks laden with fresh vegetables, fruits and other produce arrive from different parts of Uganda.
Traders hurry to arrange their goods, buyers begin filling the passages and the usual rhythm of Kampala’s food trade takes over. But as the market wakes up, so does another challenge; keeping the busy market clean.
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Deputy Executive Director Benon Kigenyi wants everyone who does business at the market to play a part in tackling that challenge, particularly the suppliers who bring in fresh produce.
During a tour of the Market on Friday Kigenyi called on suppliers to take responsibility for the rubbish generated when unloading their goods, urging them to carry tarpaulins to collect waste and leave delivery areas clean.
His message was simple, bringing food into the market should not mean leaving garbage behind.
“If you bring food into this market, you must also take responsibility for the waste you generate. Come with a tarpaulin, collect the rubbish generated during offloading and leave the area clean. You cannot deliver produce and leave the city with garbage,” Kigenyi said.
The call comes as KCCA strengthens efforts to improve hygiene and waste management in public markets, with Nakasero occupying a particularly important place in Kampala’s food supply chain.
Situated at the foot of Nakasero Hill in the city’s Central Business District, the market receives fresh produce from across the country and supplies thousands of households, restaurants, hotels and businesses.
With so much activity taking place every day, keeping the market clean requires more than regular sweeping. It calls for good habits, proper waste handling and cooperation among the people who work and trade there.
KCCA deploys a garbage truck to Nakasero Market twice every day to collect waste generated by the busy trading activities. However, the sheer volume of garbage produced often overwhelms the collection capacity, making proper sorting, responsible disposal and cooperation from traders and suppliers even more important.
Kigenyi encouraged traders to embrace waste sorting, separating organic materials such as vegetable and fruit remains from inorganic waste, including plastics and other non-biodegradable materials.
“Garbage is not all the same. We must separate organic waste from inorganic waste at the point of generation. This makes waste collection easier and creates opportunities for recovery and recycling,” he said.
He also urged traders to keep their stalls clean, maintain clear corridors and make hygiene part of their everyday business routine.
During the inspection, Kigenyi said trading spaces and corridors should be clean and orderly before business gets into full swing.
“We want a market that is clean every day, not just when there is an inspection. By 10am, the market should all be clean, the corridors clear and the trading areas properly maintained,” he said.
He commended departmental leaders for maintaining good hygiene standards and encouraged them to sustain the progress through regular supervision and continued engagement with traders.
For a market that handles food consumed across Kampala, Kigenyi noted, cleanliness goes hand in hand with food safety.
“We cannot afford to compromise on hygiene when dealing with food that serves thousands of people across the city. Cleanliness must be a priority for everyone operating here,” he said.
As part of the tour, he inspected public toilets to establish their functionality, checked water availability, examined manhole covers and reviewed drainage improvements. He also assessed the general cleanliness of the trading areas.
He reminded traders to use the toilet facilities responsibly and observe proper hygiene when handling and displaying food.
Kigenyi assessed drainage improvements and highlighted planned road works aimed at improving accessibility and conditions within and around the market.
These efforts complement KCCA’s broader work to improve public markets through infrastructure development, supervision and engagement with market communities.
Jalia Namyalo, the women’s representative at Nakasero Market, commended KCCA for its continued engagement and efforts to improve hygiene and sanitation. She also encouraged traders to embrace waste sorting as an important part of maintaining a clean market.
The inspection forms part of KCCA’s ongoing efforts to improve hygiene and sanitation in public markets through infrastructure improvements, supervision and engagement with market stakeholders. By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali-Communication and Media Relations Officer. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
