Vendors at Kabundaire Fresh Farmers Market in Central Division, Fort Portal City, are demanding urgent intervention over poor sanitation and flooding at the temporary site where they were relocated to allow renovation of the main market.
The vendors were moved to a private piece of land near Nyakimya swamp three weeks ago after Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi visited the market during the national cleaning exercise and found a large heap of garbage.
Barugahara directed the City authorities to improve sanitation at the market, including clearing the accumulated waste and improving other facilities. The City authorities subsequently relocated the vendors to pave the way for renovation works at the main market, including grading and laying marram and renovating toilets.
The vendors were expected to operate from the temporary site for about two weeks before returning to the main market. However, the traders say the temporary site has no toilets, clean water or adequate shelter while rain frequently floods the area, exposing their merchandise to damage and creating a sanitation risk.
Godfrey Murungi, one of the vendors, told this reporter the absence of toilets has forced some traders to relieve themselves in a nearby bush. He says the toilets at the market, which are renovated, are too far for vendors to use conveniently.
Murungi says the situation becomes worse whenever it rains because the temporary site is swampy and fills with water, which sometimes carries away traders’ merchandise. Sarah Kajumba, another vendor, says they were stopped from constructing stalls because they are operating on the land temporarily and the owner does not allow permanent structures.
She says the lack of stalls has left them selling their merchandise on the ground, which makes their fresh products like tomatoes, eggplants, and cabbages go bad quickly, while some customers decline to buy when they find the products on the ground.
Kajumba wants the City authorities to expedite the renovation works so that the vendors can return to the main market. Joseph Christopher Kahwa, another vendor, says traders are forced to endure rain without shelter while water sometimes washes away their merchandise and leaves the trading area muddy.
Kahwa revealed that they are worried about their health because when it rains, the water could carry human waste from the nearby bush and swamp into the area where food is sold, which might cause diseases.
Jack Musinguzi says the vendors were initially told that they would stay at the temporary site for only two weeks, but nearly a month later they are still waiting to return to the main market. Musinguzi says the temporary site has no toilets and no designated place for garbage disposal, forcing some vendors to dump waste in the nearby swamp.
Beatrice Kembaga, another vendor, says she has already suffered losses after rainwater washed away her tomatoes and onions. Jassy Kabaranzi, the Chairperson of Kabundaire Fresh Farmers Market, says vendors were not adequately informed about the relocation.
She says the temporary site has no toilets, clean water or electricity and also lacks adequate security to protect traders’ merchandise, especially at night. According to Kabaranzi, flooding has made the situation worse, with water covering vendors’ products whenever it rains and causing losses.
She says some traders have abandoned the business until the renovation of the main market is completed. However, Steven Ainganiza, the Fort Portal City Senior Communications Officer, says the city authorities are working to complete the renovation works as soon as possible.
Ainganiza says the city has also contacted a service provider to provide mobile toilets for the temporary market as the renovation continues. He asked the vendors to remain patient, saying they will be relocated back to the main market in the coming days.-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
