Fees collection is on halt Mbale Central Market following the suspension of the Market Master over allegations of financial mismanagement. Mbale City Industrial Division Mayor Abdallah Madoi ordered vendors to stop paying market fees until Monday next week as investigations into alleged revenue leakage get underway.
The decision also included the suspension of the Market Master, only identified as Wambazu, with the division taking over interim management of revenue collection. Madoi said the move followed complaints from vendors and an internal assessment of market operations after the division took over management of the facility. “While assessing the market’s operations, the mayor and his team discovered numerous challenges affecting vendors despite their continued payment of taxes,” he said.
He cited records showing that only Shs18 million had been reflected in division accounts from February to date, despite vendors insisting they continue paying daily fees. “Where is the money going? How can we improve hygiene, pay water and electricity bills, maintain roads, support health services, and collect garbage when the revenue is misused?” Madoi asked.
Mbale Central Market, he noted, is larger than markets in Gulu and Soroti, which reportedly collect up to Shs100 million, raising concerns about why Mbale’s revenue performance remains low. “We have suspended the Market Master, Wambazu, and directed vendors to stop paying taxes until Monday. We want the division administration and the Town Clerk to oversee revenue collection and establish where the money is disappearing,” he said.
The decision follows a February 13, 2026, letter from Mbale City Town Clerk Abirebe Assy Tumwesigire transferring management of the market from the City Centre administration to Mbale Industrial City Division Council. Vendors, including Sam Mafabi and Stephen Masa, questioned the shift from the Integrated Revenue Administration System (IRAS) to the Interswitch platform, suspecting possible revenue leakages.
“If the market only collected that amount, then there must be ghosts taking our money. The people collecting revenue are simply thieves,” vendors said. Division Secretary for Finance, Councillor Hawa Namono, warned that weak financial management could cripple service delivery. “If local revenue is not reaching the division, road maintenance, water supply, electricity, and garbage collection will all suffer,” she noted.
Secretary for Health and Education Kenneth Onen raised concerns about poor sanitation, saying the market has gone nearly 10 years without a reliable water supply. “We inspected the meat and fish sections as well as the toilets, and it is only by God’s grace that people have remained safe,” he said. Electronics traders’ representative Geoffrey Magona cited duplication in lock-up verification and conflicting payment codes under the Interswitch system as key challenges affecting collections.
Division Councillor Zaidi Wandulu said the suspension aligns with the President’s “Kisanja No Sleep” governance approach. “Mbale City Council has been operating this market illegally. According to the Local Government Act, divisions have the authority to manage all utilities and facilities within their jurisdiction,” he said. The division says it will take over revenue collection until the identified anomalies are resolved-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
