KCCA boss warns vendors against chaos
Right: Dorothy Kisaka believes her previous jobs prepared her for her current role at KCCA PHOTO/Eronie Kamaukama
What you need to know:
- Ms Kisaka said the city administration advocates for a peaceful relationship between the authority and the city dwellers. Early this week, she asked vendors to demand for quality services from the authority’s staff who were appointed to run the affairs of the markets.
The Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Ms Dorothy Kisaka, has warned vendors in city markets against engaging in leadership wrangles.
“We should avoid chaos in the markets and handle transition systematically,” Ms Kisaka said last Thursday while briefing Nakasero Market vendors on the new policy change.
President Museveni recently directed that KCCA takes over the leadership of 16 government markets.
Ms Kisaka said the city administration advocates for a peaceful relationship between the authority and the city dwellers. Early this week, she asked vendors to demand for quality services from the authority’s staff who were appointed to run the affairs of the markets.
Services
While receiving handover reports from the former chairpersons of the disbanded city market committees at City Hall, Ms Kisaka admitted that services in some markets were still wanting.
“I was in Nakawa on Saturday to celebrate World Toilet Day and realised that the services were very low. Let us demand for better services from KCCA. Why should you let toilets stink for you? When the money is paid to KCCA, you have freedom to demand for services,’’ she said.
Ms Kisaka also said that the authority had instituted a taskforce, which was already on ground, to guide the leadership transition process.
The taskforce is also expected to go around the 16 markets to introduce the new leaders to vendors. This she said would be done through holding meetings and answering questions from vendors.
She however, said transitional approach will differ on markets.
“Each market is unique. For example Owino market has more than 20,000 vendors as compared to Kiswa Market, which may have less than 1,000. We have to deal with the details of each market uniquely,” she said.
Utility bills
The acting director of gender, community health and production at KCCA, Mr John Bosco Bashinyora, said the authority will cater for electricity used in general areas and security lights, but indicated that it would be the responsibility of vendors to pay for electricity that run their businesses.
The chairman of Nakasero Market, Mr Richard Mukiibi, said they will continue representing the vendors.
“We received Shs120 million for Emyooga. This money has since accumulated to about Shs800 million. We cannot manage this money from elsewhere. We shall continue operating from the vendors’ office within the market,” Mr Mukiibi said.
