The Minister for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, has directed the Kabale Municipality Town Clerk to cancel all private landlord arrangements for lock-ups at Kabale Central Market and transfer occupancy rights to the sitting tenants.
Barugahara issued the directive on Friday morning while addressing market vendors and other people who had gathered at the market.
The directive followed complaints from tenants who said they pay private landlords between Shs100,000 and Shs200,000 in monthly rent, in addition to the Shs80,000 they remit to the government.
The minister questioned why traders should continue paying private individuals for access to government-owned facilities when the municipality is mandated to manage the market and collect the required revenue.
He directed the town clerk to register all affected traders and issue them with documents confirming their occupancy rights, arguing that the lock-ups and stalls are government property and should not be privately owned or rented out for personal gain.
Barugahara said the market was constructed by the government to provide affordable trading space for small-scale traders, low-income earners and other disadvantaged members of the community to establish businesses, generate income and improve their livelihoods.
He further instructed traders to channel all required payments, including applicable taxes and fees, through the municipality’s official account instead of paying private landlords.
CUE IN MINISTER BALAAM ON… LANDLORDS… RR//
