By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE CITY
The Mayor of Mbale Industrial City Division, Abdallah Madoi, has suspended the Market Master of Mbale Central Market and ordered vendors to halt payment of market fees until Monday next week as investigations into alleged revenue mismanagement get underway.
The move taken on Tuesday, 2nd June, 2026 follows concerns raised by vendors over the collection system at the market.
According to Madoi, the division passed a budget to renovate the facility but opted to first assess operations on the ground after taking over management.
“While assessing the market’s operations, the mayor and his team discovered numerous challenges affecting vendors despite their continued payment of taxes,” Madoi said.
He cited records showing that only Shs18 million had been reflected in division accounts from February to date, yet vendors say they continue to pay fees.
“Where is the money going? How can we improve hygiene, pay water and electricity bills, maintain roads, support health services, and collect garbage when the revenue is misused?” Madoi asked.
Mbale Central Market, he noted, is larger than markets in Gulu and Soroti, which reportedly collect up to Shs100 million monthly, raising questions about why Mbale is struggling to generate funds despite operating at full capacity.
“We have suspended the Market Master, Wambazu, and directed vendors to stop paying taxes until Monday, 8th June, 2026. We want the division administration and the Town Clerk to oversee revenue collection and establish where the money is disappearing,” He said.
The decision comes after a February 13, 2026, letter from Mbale City Town Clerk Abirebe Assy Tumwesigire transferring management of the market from the City Centre administration to the Mbale Industrial City Division Council.
Sam Mafabi and Stephen Masa Vendors at Mbale central market have also questioned the shift from the Integrated Revenue Administration System (IRAS) to the Interswitch platform, suspecting revenue leakages.
“If the market only collected that amount, then there must be ghosts taking our money. The people collecting revenue are simply thieves,” vendors said
Division Secretary for Finance, Councillor Hawa Namono, said weak financial management threatens service delivery.
“If local revenue is not reaching the division, road maintenance, water supply, electricity, and garbage collection will all suffer,” she noted.
Kenneth Onen, Secretary for Health and Education, raised concerns about sanitation, saying the market has gone nearly 10 years without a reliable water supply.
“We inspected the meat and fish sections as well as the toilets, and it is only by God’s grace that people have remained safe. We are committed to improving these conditions,” Onen said.
Geoffrey Magona, Chairperson of the Electronics section, said duplicate lock-up verification and conflicting payment codes through Interswitch have caused disputes and affected collections.
Division Councillor Zaidi Wandulu said the suspension aligns with the President’s call for a “Kisanja No Sleep” term.
“Mbale City Council has been operating this market illegally. According to the Local Government Act, divisions have the authority to manage all utilities and facilities within their jurisdiction,” Wandulu said.
The division says it will take over revenue collection until the anomalies are addressed.
