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Umeme disconnects Tororo market over Shs7m debt
The Shs28b market was completed and commissioned by President Museveni in November 2020. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- The town clerk, Mr Paul Omoko, said they have been persuading the traders to pay the power bills since the market was completed but in vain.
Power distributor Umeme has disconnected electricity from Tororo Central market in Tororo Town over a Shs7 million accumulated bill, paralysing business at the facility.
The black-out has since left more than 1,500 vendors counting losses.
The Shs28b market was completed and commissioned by President Museveni in November 2020.
It was constructed by the government under the Market and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme (MATIP-2) with funding from African Development Bank .
The town clerk, Mr Paul Omoko, said they have been persuading the traders to pay the power bills since the market was completed but in vain.
“They have been hesitant yet the guideline is clear. It is the responsibility of the traders to pay for utilities such as water and power,” Mr Omoko said.
He said the most affected traders deal in soft drinks, fresh fish, meat, mobile phone repairs, restaurants, and saloons. “We are forced to close the market as early as 6.30pm. I appeal to the vendors to make their contribution so that power is paid,” Mr Omoko said.
He said the council had also given the traders a three-month grace period to settle before they start paying rent but they refused to comply.
Mr Onoko said the National Water and Sewerage Corporation will also disconnect water from the facility.
“The council has no other source to settle such outstanding utility bills and yet traders that have been using the power,” he said.
However, the traders want the council to clear Shs4m of the total bill, claiming it was the arrears the contractor left after completing the construction works.
“The traders who are being asked to pay for power have not signed a tenancy agreement that qualifies them to count themselves as tenants. Even if you were, how can you pay for a utility which you are not sure of?” Ms Josephine Akech, the spokesperson for Tororo Market Vendors Association, wondered.
The manager of Umeme Tororo branch, Mr Tom Awuzu, said they have been patient with the vendors for the last five months.
“We have disconnected them after failing to clear the outstanding power bill but we shall connect them if they clear it,’’ he said.
The market has stalls, lockups, stores, banking institutions, a police post, daycare centre, solar and lighting system.
It also has fire extinguishers, fire outbreak detectors, cold storage facilities, warehouse, and water reservoir, among others.
Mr Yiga Mohammed, who repairs mobile phones, said his proceeds have drastically dropped.
“Before the power disconnection, I would make a saving of about Shs30,000 but for the past one week, the highest amount I can make is Shs5,000,” he said.
Some vendors have also abandoned the stalls, citing low sales.
They claim many stalls and lockups are isolated and cannot easily be accessed by their customers.
Ms Meresiana Nyaketch, a saloon operator, said she is contemplating relocating her business.
“I paid for power but council authorities claim that Umeme cannot reconnect us until all the outstanding power bill is settled,” she said.
Mr Ronald Okaka, the market master, said blackouts have also affected operations of the installed CCTV cameras.
“But we are working with the traders and I am optimistic that council will be able to clear off the bill soon,” he said.
