The project forms part of a broader government plan to modernise infrastructure and improve service delivery in districts surrounding Kampala. Mpigi District is among the areas selected to benefit from the programme.
Under the initiative, Mpigi is expected to receive several development projects, including modern roads, piped water systems and a new market aimed at improving public services and supporting local economic growth.
Among the flagship interventions is the upgrading of the more than 15-kilometre Mpigi–Muduuma road, valued at over Shs30 billion, with works already underway.
The redevelopment of Mpigi Central Market is intended to expand trading space for vendors and provide farmers with a more organised and efficient marketplace for their produce.
As preparations for construction begin, traders have been relocated from the current market in Mpigi Town to a temporary site owned by the Ministry of Works and Transport.
The relocation is intended to allow uninterrupted construction of the new facility.
The contract for the market has been awarded to Hebron Investments Limited, which is already preparing the temporary relocation site ahead of full construction works.
Traders welcomed the development, saying the new market was long overdue.
"We have been operating in poor conditions. When you pass through places like Busega, you see modern markets, but Mpigi has remained behind despite contributing taxes," traders said.
They cited congestion as one of their biggest challenges, noting that stalls originally designed for one trader are now being shared by three or four people.
"The market has been overcrowded. We lack enough space, making it difficult to display our goods, and many products end up getting damaged because of the limited room," they said.
Traders also highlighted poor sanitation, lack of running water and delayed garbage collection as major concerns affecting operations.
"We have no water in the market. Rotten produce and uncollected garbage create a terrible smell, while flies have become a serious problem," another trader said.
They welcomed government’s intervention but urged contractors to complete the project quickly while maintaining quality standards.
"Now that we have been relocated away from the town centre, we ask the contractor to work quickly while maintaining quality so that we can return to a better market," they said.
The traders also thanked their area Members of Parliament and local leaders for advocating for the project’s implementation.
Hebron Investments Limited is finalising preparations at the temporary site as full-scale construction of the new market gets underway.
The Shs13 billion facility is expected to accommodate up to 4,000 traders once completed.