Libino Byamukama, Kabale – Fuming vendors from Kabale Central Market in Kabale Municipality stormed the offices of the Kabale Municipality Council on Wednesday, 12th June 2024, protesting against the move to have them pay rent for the 2023/2024 financial year, which they say is contrary to the directive of the Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi.
The vendors, in protest, quickly closed all their stalls and lockups before marching to Kabale Municipal offices, demanding to know why the council has not carried out assessments and given them no chance for appeal.
The fuming vendors, led by Kamugisha Henry, accused the municipal authorities of acting contrary to Minister Raphael Magyezi’s directive, which required the tenant agreement with the municipal council to be signed within two weeks.
They added that this has caused them a lot of doubt and fear about the ownership of the lockups.
They also accused Kabale Municipal Council staff of collecting licenses without informing them of the rates they are supposed to pay.
The fuming vendors criticized Kabale Municipal authorities for demanding rent for the 2023/2024 financial year, even though the vendors had just been allocated the lockups this year.
Kabale Municipality Mayor Emmanuel Byamugisha Sentaro urged the vendors to pay for the month of June to enable the council to collect garbage and pay electricity and water bills.
Byamugisha pledged to engage the Kabale Municipality Town Clerk to make the list of payment rates available to the vendors.
He also supported the vendors’ position not to pay rent for the 2023/2024 financial year and suggested that the vendors should be allowed to pay in installments.
Kabale District RDC Mr. Godfrey Nyakahuma directed the immediate removal of seals that the municipal authorities had placed on the doors of non-compliant vendors, stating that the council acted without vendor sensitization and consultation.
On 27th May 2024, the Minister for Local Government Raphael Magyezi directed a fresh verification exercise of all Kabale Central Market vendors after some vendors accused Kabale Municipality Mayor Emmanuel Byamugisha Sentaro and Justine Barekye, the Kabale Municipality Town Clerk, of misconduct.
Magyezi directed the Kabale Municipal Town Council to sign a tenant agreement with the vendors within two weeks.
