Traders at Kikoma Market in Mabindo Sub-county, Sembabule District, gathered on Sunday to oppose relocation plans, accusing local leaders of making decisions about their livelihoods without adequate consultation. The vendors displayed placards opposing the proposed move and accused Mabindo Sub-county LCIII Chairperson John Mwesigwa Chuchuuli and Sub-county Speaker Bosco Kabogo of working with unidentified individuals to relocate the market. The traders said the market was their main source of income and warned that relocating it could disrupt their businesses and leave many struggling to repay outstanding loans.
Fred Tamale, the market vendors' chairperson, said he would not agree to relocation. "We cannot accept the market being removed from this place. As the chairperson representing the traders, I will not agree to its relocation," Tamale said. He called on local leaders to engage the vendors and find a solution that would allow them to continue earning a living without jeopardising their investments. Birimuye Pascal, a traders' representative and chairperson of the village where the market is located, said the facility needed improvements rather than relocation. He noted that traders had previously proposed installing speed humps along the road to reduce accidents.
Pascal raised concerns about security at the proposed site. "Many traders have loans they are still paying. If this market is removed, how are they expected to repay those loans? The proposed new location also does not have sufficient security for traders' property," he said. Paul Kyagera, the councillor representing Mabindo Sub-county at the district council, dismissed allegations that he was interested in purchasing the land on which the market stands, saying accusations were intended to damage his reputation because he had spoken out in support of the traders.
Sub-county Speaker Kabogo defended the proposed relocation, saying the existing market was too small and dangerously situated along the road. "The intention is not bad. The current market is too small, and it is located in the middle of the road, which has contributed to accidents and loss of lives," Kabogo said. He said the sub-county leadership had identified a person willing to provide a larger piece of land for the proposed market. According to Kabogo, the new site would provide more space for traders and address challenges associated with the existing location.
The disagreement highlights the tension between public safety and the economic interests of small-scale traders who depend on local markets for their livelihoods. The traders want local leaders to explain the arrangements for the proposed site and address concerns about security and potential disruption to their businesses. The relocation dispute remains unresolved, with traders demanding dialogue before any move is implemented and the sub-county leadership maintaining that a larger site would help address safety and space constraints.