By Aaron Okotel
MBALE CITY
Several sector leaders at Mbale Central Market were arrested on Thursday morning after city authorities, backed by a large contingent of police officers, stormed the market in an operation targeting individuals accused of illegally taking over the administration of the facility.
The arrests have heightened tensions between market vendors and the authorities over the administration of the market and recently proposed increase in trading fees.
Geoffrey Mugisha, the Industrial City Division Town Clerk, said the operation was intended to restore the management of the market to the government and remove individuals he accused of illegally collecting revenue and controlling market operations.
Mugisha said under the Markets Act, 2023, sector leaders are expected to coordinate and represent vendors in their respective sections but are not authorised to administer the market or collect government revenue.
He accused some sector leaders of collecting money for utilities, gate fees, parking and allocation of lockups, activities he said should be handled by the government through the market administrator.
“The market is owned by the government and must be administered by the market authority, not vendors,” Mugisha said.
He said the suspects would face charges including loss of government revenue, impersonation, vandalism, extortion and theft, accusing them of collecting money from vendors on behalf of the government.
However, the arrests have been rejected by vendors who maintain that the new charges are unaffordable.
Afun Wakoli, a vendor at the market, said traders were struggling with the increased fees, citing stalls that previously cost Shs6,000 but are now being charged Shs30,000.
He said stalls that previously cost Shs3,000 are now charged Shs15,000, while lockups that cost Shs15,000 have risen to Shs60,000.
“This is so unfair. I wish the authorities would come and sit down with the vendors to find a solution,” Wakoli said.
Another vendor, Nangoli Zakaria, accused the authorities of using the arrests to silence traders who have opposed the new rates.
He said vendors had previously met Industrial Division Mayor, Abudallah Madoi and agreed that the old rates would continue to apply as discussions on the matter continued.
“You have arrested our leaders, but we shall not bow down to you. If you cannot come and meet us, we shall not run away. We shall face you as you come,” Nangoli said.
Swabur Mukwano Wambede, a meat trader, called on political leaders to intervene in the dispute and help resolve the standoff between traders and authorities.
Industrial Division Mayor Abudallah Madoi said the market is now officially under the administration of the Industrial Division, distancing his administration from the decision to introduce the new rates.
Madoi said the rates had been proposed under the previous leadership before he assumed office.
“People are accusing me of being involved, but what I ask the vendors is that if there is anyone who has a complaint, come to me as your leader,” Madoi said.
He added that the division was working with security and other authorities to resolve the arrests and the wider market dispute amicably.
