Summary:
- The new verification exercise, led by Minister Magyezi and security operatives, comes barely a month after a presidential directive tasked the minister and Vice President to ensure harmony and proper operationalization of all government-owned markets.
KABALE: The Minister for Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, has ordered a fresh verification of vendors occupying Kabale Central Market amidst protests from some vendors questioning the credibility and validity of the register being used in the verification exercise.
The new verification exercise, led by Minister Magyezi and security operatives, comes barely a month after a presidential directive tasked the minister and Vice President to ensure harmony and proper operationalization of all government-owned markets.
On Saturday morning, Minister Magyezi arrived at Kabale Central Market accompanied by security personnel from both the police and the army to discuss market issues and how to restore harmony between the vendors and the Kabale Municipal authorities. Minister Magyezi subsequently ordered vendors to be present at their stalls or lockups to facilitate the physical verification of vendors and their occupancy in the market.
CUE IN MAGYEZI……..ON VERIFICATION………RR//
However, the verification exercise was protested by some vendors, including Canon Jack Katarishangwa, Pamella Byensi, and Annet Kabagambe. They accused Municipal Town Clerk Justine Barekye and the minister of considering a register which, according to them, includes non-vendors occupying the market. They urged the minister to use the register submitted to him last year for the verification exercise.
CUE IN VENDORS……ON VERIFICATIONS……RR/ENG//
The Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Godfrey Nyakahuma, called for order and justice during the verification exercise.
CUE IN NYAKAHUMA…..ON ORDER……RR//
This fresh verification exercise comes a year after the minister promised to return to Kabale to carry out a new allocation of market space following reported cases of gross corruption by Kabale Municipal authorities and the leadership of vendors.
The modern market in Kabale was upgraded by Chong Chong International Construction (CICO), a Chinese company, under the World Bank-funded Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Program (MATIP III). The completed market was handed over to the government in December 2022.
