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Govt okays personal Yaka for Tororo market vendors
Vendors are seen at their stalls in a section of the Tororo Central Market on November 15, 2022. PHOTO/JOSPEH OMOLLO
What you need to know:
- Tororo central market has a 1,500 vendor-capacity.
Government has permitted vendors in Tororo main market to install personal Yaka meters.
Tororo Town clerk David Kyasenku said the move “will help the municipality solve the problem of accumulated power bills since each vendor will be responsible for paying their individual power consumption.”
The Local Government ministry agreed to the proposal with a condition that the Tororo Municipal Council clears pending bills owed to power distributor, Umeme.
In 2021, when the Shs28 billion Tororo market was opened, the responsibility of paying for utilities like water and electricity bills was placed under the municipality.
“Due to low revenue and failure by the vendors to pay operational costs, the power bills accumulated to around Shs9million leading to disconnection one month ago,” Kyasenku told Monitor on Tuesday.
But under the new arrangement, “individual vendors will foot bills for electricity installation and may remove the equipment anytime they decide to quit the market.”
''This has been a long struggle as some vendors were not willing to pay for the power they consume making who are not using power harassed. Now we are now safe,'' Kyasenku told vendors as he unveiled a local government prequalified firm to to supply and install the Customer Interface Unit and Yaka meters.
Tororo Municipality MP Apollo Yeri Ofwono addressing vendors at the market on November 15, 2022. PHOTO/JOSEPH OMOLLO
Thomas Oketch, a vendor dealing in fresh foods expressed excitement about the development “saying he will be able to make big during operations lasting longer.”
Another vendor in the market, Shamim Naigaga, described government’s decision as “the best.”
For Tororo municipality MP Apollo Ofwono Yeri, installation of individual Yaka meters is a response to his daily prayers.
“…because at one time I was forced to part with over Shs1million to clear an outstanding power bill for Umeme to restore connection,” he noted.
Similarly, the Tororo Municipality mayor Kennedy Orono Onyapidi said the Council is planning to secure its own Yaka meter to avoid being blamed for power disconnections.
Tororo central market has a 1,500 vendor-capacity.
The newly constructed Shs28b Tororo Central Market. PHOTO/ FILE
