Mbarara Central market is fully occupied, it is not a white elephant but a yellow one with a full filled mission
By Joyce Babirye
Local Government Ministry Permanent Secretary Ben Kumumanya made the remarks after inspecting Kabale and Mbarara central markets to appraise himself with the functioning of the markets. The PS interacted with the vendors and customers to ascertain the truth after the New Vision newspaper published a story on Tuesday, December, 31, 2024, claiming that vendors had shunned the new multi-billion shilling markets built by the Ministry of Local Government under the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme (MATIP).
During the visit to Kabale and Mbarara, the PS noticed that both markets were fully operational despite the festive Christmas and New Year holidays. Mbarara central market currently has 1,403 vendors while Kabale central market has 1,451 vendors. The Permanent Secretary stressed that all the markets constructed under MATIP I and II across the country were fully operational. Soroti main market has 2,032 vendors, Masaka central market has 850, Arua main market has 3,836, and Kitooro Central Market in Entebbe has 1,327. Lugazi central market has 686, Kasese Central Market 1070, Busia main market 1,737, Tororo central market 1,320, Lopeduru market in Moroto 758 and Kitgum central market has 2,058 vendors.
According to Kumumanya these markets have greatly improved the social economic status of the local communities. They have improved service delivery in the local governments due to increased revenue collection. In Soroti district for example, revenue collection has jumped from sh30m to sh300m per year. According to the Permanent Secretary, Mbarara Central Market generated sh1.25bn between January and February 2024.
The MATIP markets have created jobs for the youth, women, produce suppliers, cleaners, managers of day care centres, traders and vendors. In Soroti city 20% of jobs created under MATIP have been taken on my women.
The markets have also provided improved working conditions, with proper drainage systems, clean water, proper sanitation facilities, electricity, adequate parking space and easy access, Through the establishment of mini agro processing facilities and proper storage for produce and other products, the quality of the food products has improved. Each market also has a police post to boost security.