Optimism as Mbarara Central Market nears completion

There is growing optimism among the business community, residents and leaders in Mbarara City in regard to the completion of the Shs21 billion central market.
More than 700 vendors relocated to the Independence Park in July 2017 to pave way for the reconstruction of the market, which was expected to be completed on February 14, 2020.

The delayed completion of the four-storeyed market that is expected to accommodate about 3,000 traders, has created a lot of frustration from traders, who say they make losses in the temporary structures.
But last Wednesday, Mbarara City Mayor Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi told leaders that the market will be commissioned soon as it is at completion stage.
“The central market project is at completion. We have informed the responsible ministry to guide on how the allocation will be done but also to spearhead the invitation of the President to come and commission it,” Mr Kakyebezi said during the council meeting.

Appeal
The councillor representing Mbarara City South A, Mr Muhammad Byansi, said the city council should consider allocating roadside traders space in the market to reduce overcrowding and congestion on city streets.
“We agreed that the council should consider people who were previously in the market and those that are doing business on the city streets so that we can have an orderly city” Mr Byansi said.

He said despite the delay, residents should be happy that the government is delivering on its mandate.
The minister for Local Government, Mr Rapheal Magyezi, said he will invite the President to commission the market once the contractor has handed over the project.
“The contractor told me in three weeks and I have given them to the end of the month (November) then I will call the President,” he said.

Mr Magyezi also said traders who were shifted to a temporary structure in the Independence Park should be given priority while allocating space in the new market.
“They have waited for so long. They have been under the sun, under the rain. So now I am happy they are going to occupy the good market,” he said.
The minister urged the chairperson of the market vendors to work with city authorities to verify the vendors who are supposed to get stalls in the market. 

Allocation of stalls. 
“The people who are supposed to enter the market are those who were there, there are people who were trading from there (Central Market) and we removed them. Secondly, we shall also look at those who are actual traders not absentee landlords,” Raphael Magyezi, minister of Local Government