KAMPALA — The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) late last month announced a full takeover and control of the city markets and abattoirs after banning old market leaderships and subsequent appointment of 36 new administrators.
Eng. David Luyimbazi, the KCCA Deputy Executive Director told UG Standard this week that the authority sought to transition from informal traders managing markets to having professionals in charge of daily running of government markets.
He said that the move is meant to ensure the full realisation of the presidential directive which gave KCCA the mandate to manage and control markets.
“We need to protect vendors so that the Presidential directive of transitioning from informal traders to formal trade is realized,” Eng. Luyimbazi said, citing a November 2022 Presidential directive that gave KCCA the mandate to run the markets.
The Markets Act 2022, addresses defects in the existing law by providing a comprehensive legal framework to strengthen the regulation and management, and administration of markets.
Eng. Luyimbazi said that the law, recently signed by the President empowers KCCA to appoint market administrators to oversee the day-to-day management of the market; liaise with the administrative authority on the affairs of the market; and ensure general maintenance of orderliness in the market.
Under the law, market administrators will be in charge of supervision and oversight over the affairs and operation of the markets, keeping a verified and updated register of all vendors in the markets as well as ensuring that all utility bills like water and electricity consumed by vendors are settled on time.
Their other roles include; collecting dues, fees, and charges from vendors, ensuring trade orders, handling grievances in the markets, and ensuring the observation of public health regulations.
They will also operate public toilets, manage and collect solid waste, and ensure security as well as routine checks on all market installations. The Deputy ED said it will be illegal for vendors to assume any leadership roles in the markets.
“There must be no other office in the markets, all Saccos or association and political party managements must be operated outside the markets. Only KCCA offices will be allowed to operate from the markets,” Eng Luyimbazi said urging traders to work with KCCA for the good of our markets
The law will eliminate illegalities including harassment of vendors, he said.
On revenue hemorrhages, Eng Luyimbazi told this website that KCCA intends to go cashless to reduce on tax leakages.
“Our aspiration is that the markets can be self-sustaining. This is very achievable with good management by KCCA administrators,” the Deputy ED added.
There have been challenges in the informal sector stemming from mismanagement, ownership, policy, and regulation, among others.
President Museveni advised that markets in Kampala and the metropolitan areas should be taken by the low-income earners instead of being taken by the rich who in turn charge high fees from the wananchi.
KCCA banned street vending in 2015 in a bid to decongest the city and restore trade order, and subsequently acquired Usafi market in Kalitunsi-Mengo to resettle the evicted vendors.
However, vendors later abandoned the facility due to ‘unfavourable conditions’ and returned to the streets.
Efforts by KCCA to evict them from the streets hit a snag, triggering protests from traders who argue that their presence blocks customers from accessing their shops. In 2017, the KCCA council gazetted some roads to be used by street vendors during evening hours.
However, the technical wing declined to implement the resolution on the grounds that it would worsen the situation.
Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago says trade orders in the city will always be a nightmare until government allocates to KCCA sufficient funds to construct markets and other common user facilities for the urban poor.
