Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara has ordered landlords claiming ownership of stalls and lockups in Kabale Central Market to vacate them immediately and stop collecting rent from vendors.
Barugahara issued the directive on Friday while inspecting the market, where several vendors complained over high rental charges and alleged mistreatment by landlords. Some vendors, including Dismus Mugisha and Evelyn Orishaba, told the minister that they pay up to five million million shillings annually in rent.
Others, including Ruth Asiimwe and Judith Turyashemererwa, complained of mistreatment by landlords. Some vendors also alleged that certain Kabale Municipal Council officials, including Naris Byebiroha, a municipal enforcement officer, and Jacinta Tushabomwe, the Kabale District Principal Human Resource Officer, own stalls and lockups in the market and collect rent from traders.
Other vendors alleged that Kabale Municipality Mayor Emmanuel Sentaro Byamugisha owns some of the lockups. Barugahara asked Byamugisha to respond to allegations contained in a report indicating that he owns 20 lockups. However, Byamugisha strongly denied the claims.
The minister tasked the Internal Security Organisation and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate the allegations and establish whether Byamugisha owns any stalls or lockups in the market.
Barugahara said that under the new law, public markets are government property, with municipal councils responsible for managing them.
He directed about 70 tenants who presented receipts showing that they had been paying rent to the alleged landlords to remain in their respective lockups without making further payments to the individuals claiming ownership.
The minister also ordered those collecting rent from the vendors to stop immediately, arguing that they had no right to collect money from facilities they did not own.
However, Byamugisha said implementing the directive would be challenging because of a court ruling directing the municipal council to either provide lockups to 50 landlords who owned facilities before the old market was demolished or compensate them with 10 billion shillings.
Despite the concerns, Barugahara maintained his position, telling the mayor that the landlords who were dissatisfied with the directive and had taken the matter to court would have to pursue their case against the government.
He advised municipal council authorities to liaise with the Attorney General for legal guidance on how to implement the directive in light of the court ruling. Barugahara also ordered municipal authorities to open all lockups currently being used as stores and allocate them to vendors interested in operating businesses there.
In 2019, Chong Chong International Construction (CICO), a Chinese company, was contracted to upgrade the Kabale market under the World Bank-funded Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Program (MATIP III), with a budget of 23 billion shillings. The market was handed over to the government in December 2022.
After the market, Barugahara inspected Mwanjari Cemetery Business Centre, where traders and mechanics expressed concern about the poor condition of the area.The traders said the business centre becomes muddy and difficult to access during the rainy season, while dust from the unpaved roads affects their businesses during the dry season.
In response, Barugahara directed municipal authorities to grade the area and apply murram within one week to improve accessibility and working conditions for traders and mechanics-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
