NEWS– Business operators from several markets in Kabale municipality have expressed their fear over the increasing number of street venders along various roads that have led to the decrease in the number of clients received.
Moses Kyarikora, a businessman in the Kabale Garage Street market, also known as Owino market, Aggrey Turinawe, both from Owino market and Prossy Bikorwomuhangi, a food vendor from Kabale Central Market, told Our reporter that as the business community, they are experiencing hard times due to increased competition with street vendors, leading to a decrease in the number of clients received.
Kyarikora added that vendors from Kabale Garage Street may resort to vending on the streets if there are no interventions by municipal council authorities.
However, Kabale Municipal Council Deputy Town Clerk Eric Sunday said that municipal council authorities are aware of the street vending problem, and efforts to remove the perpetrators from the roads will soon commence.
Sunday stressed that street vendors will be completely removed from the roads when the Ministry of Local Government hands over full control of Kabale Central Market to the Kabale Municipal Council.
When contacted, the Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, revealed that the market was handed to municipal authorities and that the Ministry has nothing to do with arranging the town and allowing people to start operating from the newly constructed Kabale Central Market.
In a related development, Kabale district authorities have indefinitely suspended scrap business. In a document dated 4th December, RDC Kabale Godfrey Nyakahuma together with security operatives have suspended scrap selling in Kabale district indefinitely to safeguard the ongoing stealing of metallic materials from people’s residents and homes respectively.
Nyakahuma has further explained that those have stores of scrap should mind about selling them to empty store in a period of just two weeks. it’s noted that this scrap dealing had led to continuous stealing of road furniture along roads in Kabale district and Kigezi as well where the stolen metallic materials include signposts, guardrails, and other road safety equipment.
The document highlights the concern of the district authorities over the increasing cases of theft and the need to take immediate action. RDC Kabale Godfrey Nyakahuma, along with security operatives, has taken the decision to suspend the selling of scrap in the district to curb this issue.
Nyakahuma has instructed individuals who possess scrap materials to sell them within a two-week period to empty stores which implies that after the given time, no further scrap selling will be allowed until further notice.
The decision to suspend scrap selling in Kabale district is aimed at preventing the continuous stealing of metallic materials, particularly road furniture where theft of these items poses a significant risk to road users and compromises public safety.
By suspending the scrap trade temporarily, the authorities hope to discourage the stealing of metallic materials and protect the infrastructure in the district though the document does not specify when the suspension will be lifted but indicates that it is indefinite.
