A growing garbage crisis at Soroti Main Market has sparked health concerns among traders and residents as uncollected waste piles continue to emit a foul stench and disrupt business operations. Waste collection services at the market have stalled, worsening sanitation conditions and exposing vendors and customers to possible disease outbreaks.
The situation is most difficult at Gate Four, where an overflowing garbage skip has blocked part of the road, creating access challenges for motorists, traders, and customers. Traders say the waste, largely consisting of rotting remains from butcheries and fish stalls, has attracted flies and driven customers away from the market.
Madina Akwi, a vendor operating near the garbage heaps, says the unbearable smell and poor sanitation have greatly affected business and posed a serious health threat. She accuses market administrators of failing to respond despite repeated complaints from traders about the urgent need for waste collection.
Akwi also called for the deployment of dedicated waste management personnel at the market, arguing that relying solely on city authorities has not solved the problem.
The garbage heaps have also encroached onto roads leading to the market, reducing some sections into one-way routes and complicating movement for both vendors and customers. Ivan Opolot, a fish vendor, warned that if the waste remains uncollected for several more days, Eastern Street could become impassable. He says waste management has remained a persistent challenge despite repeated promises by city authorities to address the problem.
Opolot appealed to the government to allocate part of the revenue collected from the market towards purchasing garbage trucks to improve waste collection. He warned that continued poor sanitation could drive customers away, ultimately affecting vendors’ incomes and government tax revenues.
Health officials have also expressed concern that the failure to maintain cleanliness in the market could expose city residents to disease outbreaks associated with poor waste disposal. Market administrator Stella Aarakit acknowledged the sanitation crisis, saying the garbage has accumulated since the last collection at the Aminit landfill site.
She says authorities are aware of the situation and are working to address it. Meanwhile, Soroti Central Market health inspector Janet Arionget blamed part of the problem on illegal dumping by some residents during the night. Arionget says authorities have started arresting illegal dumpers and requiring them to register with licensed waste management firms.
Soroti City Deputy Town Clerk Joseph Mwesigwa attributed the delayed garbage collection to a breakdown of the city’s bulldozer, which reportedly required more than 15 million shillings for repair. He says the machine has now been repaired, and regular garbage collection is expected to resume by Wednesday.
In 2023, Soroti City handed over solid waste management to private companies, but the continuing sanitation challenges have renewed calls for a more effective and sustainable waste management strategy in the market-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
