A section of vendors from Kabale Central Market in Kabale Municipality stormed the offices of the Kabale Municipal Council, demanding a reduction in rent fees and questioning why some individuals continue to claim ownership of lockups as landlords.
The vendors expressed frustration over the council’s failure to implement the directive issued by the Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, which requires that all market stalls be rented directly to vendors by the council. The directive is part of the new guidelines under the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Program (MATIP), which governs the management of newly constructed markets.
The protesting vendors, who include William Tayebwa, Emma Byamugisha, and Florence Mugisha, called on the council to reduce monthly rent fees to below Shs 100,000.
They argued that businesses operating in the upstairs lockups, such as textile shops, shoe vendors, and salons, are struggling due to low customer traffic.
They also questioned why some individuals continue to act as landlords in the market, collecting rent from vendors but failing to remit payments to the council.
As a result, vendors are penalised by the council and sometimes have their shops closed despite having paid rent to these so-called landlords.
“We demand clarification on why we are being forced to pay rent for an entire year upfront,” vendors noted.
Vendors also raised concerns about the continued closure of some lockups, while others are overcrowded, with multiple vendors sharing a single space.
In response, Willis Atumurikiire, the acting marketing master of Kabale Municipality, noted that rent fees are not set by the municipal office alone but are passed through the council and then submitted to the Ministry of Local Government for approval.
He said the government had set a standard monthly rent ranging from approximately Shs 70,000 to Shs 150,000, depending on the type and size of the lockup assigned to each vendor.
“The management had agreed to table a proposal before the council’s executive committee to consider reducing the rent. On the issue of landlords, I blame the vendors for giving conflicting information. While council teams are told rent is paid through official channels, vendors admitted during the protest that they pay rent to individuals claiming to be landlords—a practice I condemned as unacceptable,” Atumurikiire noted.
In a separate response, Kabale Municipality Town Clerk Jamil Kassajja blamed the vendors for failing to bring their concerns to his office earlier. He assured them that their issues would be addressed after consultations with his technical and executive teams.
Kassajja highlighted that the Kabale Municipal Council is the sole landlord of the market and responsible for all stall and lockup rentals.
Despite a fresh verification and reallocation exercise conducted in May 2024, under a directive issued by Minister Magyezi following earlier complaints in July 2023, several vendors remain dissatisfied with the process, claiming irregularities persist.