Vendors want mosque, gym included in Mukono market design

Mukono, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Vendors at Kame Valley Market in Mukono Central Division have urged the government to incorporate a mosque and a gym in the ongoing development of the market, which is part of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Program (GKMA-UD). The government has committed to transforming the market, which is currently in poor condition, into a modern facility at an estimated cost of Shillings 40 billion, funded by the World Bank.

As the development progresses, vendors have expressed concerns over the lack of religious and recreational facilities. Unlike in other areas where markets have been equipped with kids’ play centers, the vendors at Kame Valley have asked the government to consider adding a mosque for Muslim vendors and a gym to promote wellness, especially for youth who work in the market.

Muhammad Jjuko, Chairperson of the Market Allocation Committee, highlighted that Muslim vendors have daily prayer obligations and need a designated space for worship. “Lately, we have been setting up a tent for prayers, but with the new development, we might not have space for such. Besides, many of the youth working in the market cannot afford the prices of wellness centers in town,” Jjuko explained during a market sensitization meeting.

Mukono Municipal Mayor, Erisa Mukasa Nkoyoyo, has also called on the government to consider designing the market as an open space rather than a closed one. He noted that many markets in the country have failed to attract tenants due to their closed designs and suggested that expanding the market horizontally by acquiring more land and constructing additional floors could be more effective.

“It is better if we can get money to procure more land and expand so that we can have just the ground and one more floor. Vendors don’t want to operate on floors beyond the first one since they don’t attract clients,” Nkoyoyo said. Kame Valley Market currently serves over 2,500 vendors and sees more than 10,000 clients on a daily basis. The vendors’ request for a mosque and gym reflects their need for spaces that cater to their religious and wellness needs.

The Minister for State of Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Kabuye Kyofatogabye, has advised vendors to submit their requests along with the list of market members for consideration during the market’s design phase. However, the registration process has faced delays due to disputes over the inclusion of non-members on the list and opposition to the appointment of a new market master by the government.

Kyofatogabye also directed the Town Clerk, Majerani Luboyera, and the Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Rhodah Tiitwe Kagaga, to include former market chairperson Geofrey Sserunjogi on the allocation committee, as requested by many vendors, before proceeding with the registration and updates.In response to concerns about the registration of new members from smaller markets, Kyofatogabye reassured the vendors that the government plans to build a larger market to accommodate over 4,000 vendors. The government’s plans for the market include constructing modern stalls, lockups, sanitary facilities, a children’s play center, and a water channel to direct water from the central business area through the market to Kame Swamp. These developments aim to improve the market’s infrastructure and overall functionality.

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