Vendors shun Kibiingo market over uncontrolled sales in ungazetted areas
Written by admin on January 6, 2023
Vendors shun Kibiingo market over uncontrolled sales in ungazetted areas
The number of vendors in Kibiingo market, West Division in Hoima City, has reduced from 50 to nine following the uncontrolled sales in ungazetted places outside the market.
This has led to a small number of buyers into the market, slow business and low profits as vendors in ungazetted areas sell the same items merchants in the market have on their stalls.
Following such a trade scenario, a great number of vendors who once occupied the stalls have abandoned the market citing low business activity as buyers find it illogical to enter the market for the same merchandise sold outside it.
The nine vendors who have remained in the market do not have kind words for their leaders over failure to control sales in ungazetted places that has rendered their financial muscle powerless.
Ms Joyce Ayesiga, the chairperson for Kibiingo market vendors, criticises the authorities for seemingly condoning the illegality.
She wants vendors selling raw food on the verandas forced into the market as there are many unoccupied stalls there.
Ms Ayesiga says merchants in the market are experiencing low sales due to the low number of buyers, thus, the vendor wants the authorities to offer the already available space in the market to those selling outside it in order to augment the city tax base.
“We were 50 vendors in the market. But the number has gone down to nine. This is due to the low number of customers coming to buy food in the market,” Ms Ayesiga says.
Ms Immaculate Kobusiinge, one of the vendors who has remained in the market says the city authorities have failed to reign over the bulging number of hawkers selling similar commodities outside the market.
She also wonders how the authorities look on as shopkeepers turn to selling raw food alongside other merchandise yet the former has to be sold in the market.
“Nowadays, we are receiving fewer customers in the market because they have been taken by hawkers and shopkeepers selling similar products that we sell in the market. Most amazing is some shopkeepers are selling raw food that is typically sold in the market and the city authorities are looking on without doing anything to force them to do business from a gazette area,” Ms Kobusiinge says.
The Mayor West Division, Mr Robert Kyomuhendo, says the entire city has a deficit of law enforcement officers to enforce the by-law though the government has advised the posts.
In the meantime, he advises vendors to book spaces in the market to avoid inconveniences during the process of being vacated from the street.
In December 2022, the Hoima city mayor, Mr Brian Kaboyo, said street vending would end on January 1, 2023 though the business is still flourishing.