Vendors protest after missing places in new Tororo Market
The new market's stall allocation finished on Wednesday, but more than 1,000 vendors discovered that their names had been removed from the list.
Vendors in Tororo who were denied booths in the new market are enraged and have lodged a complaint with municipal officials.
The new market’s stall allocation finished on Wednesday, but more than 1,000 vendors discovered that their names had been removed from the list.
Disgruntled vendors rushed the Tororo municipal council offices on Friday, seeking answers as to why they were not given space.
Steven Johnson Papakanyang, who ran a hardware store in the old market, was surprised to see his name was not on the list. Papakanyang is concerned that if the local officials do not locate him another market location, he will be forced to close his shop.
Lydia Karungi, a Senior Community Development Officer in charge of relocation at the Ministry of Local Government, said the team will create a report on the complete relocation exercise. Before the market was built, nearly 3,000 traders were registered, according to Tororo Municipal Council Town Clerk Paul Omoko. He also claims that 1,900 lock-ups had previously been assigned to individual sellers, a situation he attributes to vendors who registered before he arrived in Tororo.
He does indicate, though, that they would wait for the Ministry of Local Government’s report.
At 27.7 billion, Tororo Central Market is one of the 12 markets built under the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Program (MATIP-2).
Market stalls, lockups/shops, pitches, daycare centers, food courts, clinic/pharmacy facilities, and a conference hall are all located on 5 acres of property.
