Arua city’s newly constructed central market, funded by the Africa Development Bank and built by Sadeem Al-Kuwait General Trading and Contracting Company at a cost of 34.9 billion Shillings under the MATIP II program, is facing challenges with stall occupancy.
Two years after vendors relocated to the facility, a significant number of stalls remain unoccupied. Out of the total 3,045 stalls available, only 1,015 have been taken up, leaving 2,030 stalls vacant, primarily located on the first floor. Vendors abandoned these stalls due to perceived lack of business compared to street vending.
Arua City Principal Treasurer, Omar Ajobe, expressed efforts to persuade vendors to use the stalls through enforcement of trade orders under the Markets Act 2023, but vendors have been resistant.
“We have started encouraging vendors to occupy the stalls, but they remain adamant,” Ajobe stated.
Nelson Dada, chairperson of the Arua Market Vendors Association, criticized authorities for not involving vendors in the market’s design phase. He pointed out that the stalls constructed are too small to adequately display vendors’ goods.
Malik Drakuma, the Central Division Town Clerk, highlighted the impact of unoccupied stalls on revenue collection efforts. He estimated potential annual revenue from the market could reach two billion shillings, compared to the current one billion.
Despite these challenges, Arua City Mayor Sam Wadri Nyakua remains optimistic. He believes the upcoming city court will help address street vending issues, which persist despite city authorities’ efforts to enforce trade regulations.
