MBARARA CITY – There was outrage at Mbarara Central Market after Hon. Balaam made a surprise visit and unearthed gross irregularities in the management of the market.
The Minister, who was on his way to Ntungamo District for the Anti-Corruption tour, decided to make a stopover at the market, where he was confronted by angry vendors with a litany of complaints.
Hon. Balaam discovered that the solar system installed to provide lighting in the market had been stolen and the entire market is operating operate in darkness when electricity goes off.
The Minister also found that front shops in the market, which were meant to be allocated transparently to low-income vendors, were secretly sold off to rich individuals.
In the most shocking revelation, vendors told the Minister that despite government pronouncements abolishing landlords in public markets, Mbarara Central Market still has landlords who continue to extort rent from them.
One vendor emotionally told the Minister that she still pays rent to a one comedian known by the alias “Kachina” who claims to own her stall.
“He insisted that I should keep paying rent even when the Ministry of Local Government came out to condemn landlords in government markets. He threatens to chase me away if I don’t pay,” the vendor said.
The vendors further revealed that the landlords are charging exorbitant fees far above the official council rates. For big shops, landlords charge Shs250,000 while the city council charges only Shs80,000. For small shops, landlords charge Shs80,000 while the council charge is Shs20,000.
Hon. Balaam described the practice as criminal and exploitative.
He issued a firm directive stopping all rent payments to landlords with immediate effect.
“All vendors paying rent to landlords should stop with immediate effect. These are government markets built for you, not for landlords. No one should pay rent to anyone calling themselves a landlord,” Balaam ordered.
He further asked vendors to report directly to his office if anyone comes to ask for rent.
To bring the matter to a close, the Minister instructed city authorities to ensure that all vendors are given contracts for their stalls and shops today without fail.
“Today, without fail, every vendor here must be given a contract for their stall or shop. No more operating without contracts. That is how landlords are exploiting you,” he directed.
Hon. Balaam further directed city authorities to investigate the circumstances under which market shops were sold, the theft of solar panels, and to furnish his office with a full list of alleged landlords operating in the market.
