By Aaron Okotel
MBALE CITY
Traders in Mbale Central Market have shut down administration offices protesting a proposed increase in market fees, accusing Mbale City authorities of imposing exorbitant charges without adequate consultation.
The traders, who since Thursday last week shut down the market administration offices, said the new rates would make it difficult for low-income earners to operate businesses in the market.
According to Wambede Isma, a sector leader representing meat suppliers, the proposed hikes severely impact traders across all business categories.
“The lockups that were charged Shs 30,000 have been increased to Shs 300,000, and larger rooms previously paying Shs 100,000 are now at Shs 500,000,” Wambede said. “Stalls that were Shs 5,000 are now Shs 20,000, and lockups of Shs 80,000 have been raised to Shs 160,000.”
Wambede warned that if city authorities do not address their grievances, they will seek an audience with President Yoweri Museveni. He noted that despite the city collecting between Shs 15 million and Shs 20 million monthly, a promised 18% revenue reinvestment into the market has not been realized since 2014, leaving vendors to pay out of pocket for garbage collection and security.
Twalle Isma, a leader for shoe and bag vendors, criticized the authorities for “ambushing” traders without prior warning and noted confusion over administrative oversight between the city council and the Industrial Division.
“This market was handed to us by the President for low-income earners, but authorities are turning it into a commercial enterprise,” Twalle said, citing persistent roof leaks and a lack of running water.
Food vendor Manake Aminah echoed these concerns, stating that rain forces vendors to stop work to sweep out water. “Our cooking stalls are broken, so we cook outside and carry food in. They want to add taxes, but we are not selling; we don’t see the returns of our taxes,” she said.
Meat vendor Abdul Swaburu Mukwana Wambede argued that the rate increases fail to consider traders’ actual monthly revenue. “Even the previous Shs 100,000 was paid in installments; how about the new Shs 500,000? It seems they just want us to leave the market for the rich,” he said.
Responding to the unrest, Geoffrey Mugisha, Town Clerk of Mbale City Northern Division, rejected claims that vendors were not consulted, calling the opposition the work of self-interested individuals exploiting the market system.
Mugisha explained that the new rates were approved by the Mbale City Council, assented to by outgoing Local Government Minister Raphael Magezi nearly a year ago. “When you look at the rates that have been proposed, they are fair to the prevailing circumstances.
Mugisha clarified that Thursday’s gathering was a sensitization exercise by division staff rather than an enforcement drive. He accused a faction of informal “landlords” within the market of obstructing government officials, illegally subletting stalls at extortionate prices, and collecting unauthorized fees from public toilets, garbage, and access gates.
“For example, someone operating a daycare in the market collecting school fees was paying Shs 100,000 per month for a massive space, while commercial shops on Market Street paying Shs 80,000 to the city were being sublet by middlemen for Shs 500,000 to Shs 800,000,” Mugisha stated. “This money belongs to the government to cover utility bills like water and electricity, not private pockets.”
