Arua City Mayor Issues Ultimatum for Street Vendors to Relocate to Main Market

Arua City Mayor, Sam Wadri Nyakua, has issued a two-week ultimatum for all street vendors to relocate to the main market. This directive aims to address low revenue collection due to underutilization of the market facilities.

The Arua Main Market, completed in February 2021, remains largely unoccupied despite allocation and resettlement efforts in January 2022. Many vendors have chosen to operate on the streets or in unauthorized spaces, causing revenue shortfalls for the city.

Mayor Nyakua emphasizes the need to maximize revenue collection, citing a projected 30% drop in quarterly targets for the 2023/24 financial year. He highlights the significant gap between revenue collected inside the market compared to street vendors, attributing this to the market's underutilization.

Dramaku Maliki, the Arua Central Division Town Clerk, confirms the low market revenue and acknowledges the challenges created by previous pronouncements that halted rental fee collection from vendors who had initially occupied the market. This policy resulted in accumulated utility bills that now burden the City Council.

Following guidance from the Parliamentary Committee on Public Service and Local Government, Mayor Nyakua has instructed the Town Clerk to relocate all street vendors to the main market within two weeks, regardless of any existing agreements they may hold. This decisive action aims to improve revenue collection and optimize the use of the Arua Main Market.