By KT Reporter
Waves of mixed emotions rippled through Gulu Main Market on Wednesday morning as hundreds of registered vendors staged a protest against the persistent sale of goods in the parking lot and major streets in the city. The vendors, armed with placards reading “Say no to outside vending,” “We pay rent and taxes, and “We are tired of this spite,” left their lockup and stalls and displayed their goods in front of the market, blocking traffic flow on Awere Road.
They accused the city council leaders of turning a blind eye to the numerous unlicensed traders who occupy sidewalks, road reserves, and the parking lot of the market, which is cutting into their daily sales and profits. The protest follows two years of complaints from market vendors, who say the situation has worsened since 2024, with outside vendors starting as early as 8 am daily.
Two years ago, vendors at the Main Market started bringing their goods outside for sale, following numerous complaints of poor lighting at the market, which worsens during power outages. To address the issue, leaders in the city resolved that selling outside should start at 5:30 pm. However, Acan said dozens of vendors took advantage of the situation and left their stalls altogether to sell outside.
Paska Acan, the deputy head of security and a fishmonger, said the main Market has become a store, because even those with stalls leave and display their goods in the parking lot, leaving their stalls. Acan said even vendors with motorcycles or vehicles no longer have space for parking because the parking lot has been turned into a huge marketplace.
Acan said the main market is now more of a store because those with designated stalls now come to the market and start displaying their goods right from the parking lot. She said the vendors have vowed not to leave the parking lot until every vendor has been directed to sell from inside the market, because buying no longer enters the market, since almost all goods are displayed outside.
Florence Akello, a dealer in firsthand babies’ clothes and shoes, explained that outside and roadside vending has complicated her attempts to sell at a profit. Akello, who gets her stocks from Kampala, explained that she cannot price her goods above her buying price, since the illegal vendors are selling theirs at the same price she bought from Kampala. Akello explained that she has a lockup rent arrears of 8 months, totaling 1.2 million Shillings, because she does not sell enough to fund the business.
Winnie Acayo, a seamstress at the main market, said she cannot take care of herself as a woman and feed well because she is not making enough money from her tailoring business.
Dennis Ojok thinks there are some leaders backing the roadside vendors because they keep coming back a few days or weeks after they have been chased. Ojok noted that it is unfair that the illegal vendors who are paying only 3,000 shillings per month in market dues are making more sales compared to those who are being charged many trading fees.
Peter Banya, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner of Pece Laroo Division, where the market is located, promised to hold a meeting with the city leaders to ensure that the matter is resolved today. By the time of the protest, Banya was the only leader who came to the scene, while the rest didn’t appear and never answered phone calls to them for clarification-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
