Amos Tayebwa
Mbarara
According to the Presidential Directive and the market Act of 2023 stipulates all the public markets’ Chairpersons to step aside giving all powers to the market Administrators/ market masters appointed by the Administrative authorities to be responsible for all duties and businesses running in the market.
Basing on the Presidential directive and the market Act, the Mbarara City Assistant Resident City Commissioner, Polly Katwire has directed the Mbarara City Council which is the Administrative Authority for Mbarara Central Market to immediately implement the market Act by stopping Emmanuel Muhumuza who is still actively working as the market Chairman but illegally.
In the recent meeting that was held in the central market premises when the ARCC Katwire was meeting the market vendors, he revealed that Mbarara City Council has delayed to implement the directive of H.E The President and the market Act of 2023, and now the market still has the Chairperson who was elected by the people but he is in position illegally.
Katwire also revealed that holding Muhumuza in that position of Chairmanship is the problem that is causing the confusion and conflict in this market.
“I have found out that there is too much confusion and conflicts within this Central market because there are two camps fighting within the market , one for the former Chairman Nyombi Muhammad and another one of Muhumuza who is still working as the Chairman. And I think when Mbarara City Council implements the Market Act that removes Chairman Muhumuza from that seat that one will bring harmony, reconciliation and togetherness in the market. Because now the chairperson himself has to reconcile with the other group of Nyombi, but then the other old leadership is also hostile, so there is too much confusion in the market. I have also discovered that the Chairperson of the market has remained with powers more than the market master, I therefore advise Mbarara City Council to implement the presidential directive and the market Act so that the market master can take charge of her or his duties within their jurisdiction. We want the City Town Clerk to immediately intervene and if they fail, we as the office of the President’s representatives we shall put his directive into action and implementation” said Katwire
The market Act which was signed by the President that directs the administrative authority to appoint the market administrator in respect of a public market or private market operate in respect of a private market to be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the market, to liaise with the administrative authority on the affairs of the market and ensuring general maintenance of orderliness in the market.
Market Act also guides on the designation of departments in markets that every market shall have departments spatially delineated and organised based on the goods sold and services provided in the market. That the vendors in each designated department under subsection (1) shall elect a head of department and deputy head of department from amongst themselves, one of them shall be a woman. The head of department shall be responsible in ensuring proper organisation, sanitation and orderliness of work spaces, shops, pitches or stalls under the respective department, they will be responsible for vetting of new Vendors into the department and handling disputes within the department.
However, in Mbarara Central market, the Market Act has not been properly followed and implemented, the chairman of the market who was elected sometime back is still in charge. The market master/ Market administrator was appointed by the City Council but her powers were deprived by the market chairmen elected and she is allegedly overshadowed by the chairman.
Vendors have raised complaints in regard to the market Act to ensure the Charman can step aside and handover powers to the market master but no response from the authorities.
Mbarara Central Market has had total conflicts between Vendors and the market Leadership over the mess within the Market SACCO. The market SACCO has encountered losses of money that was donated by the president. President Museven had donated about Shs 62M to Mbarara Central Market. It is alleged that SACCO had made some profits within the SAACO but about Shs 91M has been defaulted through loans according to the External Audit report. The Mbarara ARCC, Katwire has also directed the leadership of that SACCO to harmonise with the defaulters within two weeks to ensure that money is refunded.
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