HOIMA– Business at Hoima Central Market in Hoima City was paralysed on Tuesday as vendors closed their businesses to protest UMEME’s disconnection of the market from the power grid.
During the half-day protest, the market vendors accused Hoima City Council authorities of failing to pay electricity bills and not coming out to explain to them what they were doing to arrest the situation.
Joseph Katusiime, who deals in computer and phone repair, said that they were forced to close the market to attract the attention of the city authorities.
Katusiime wondered why the Hoima City authorities failed to clear the electricity bill yet they collect different fees from the market. He said lack of power was affecting the smooth running of businesses in the market.
He also noted that there is poor sanitation in the market due to the lack electricity in the washrooms/toilets.
Favorman Ssentamu who operates a music and video production studio said lack of power in the market has slowed down his business.
He noted that those operating businesses which run on electricity are unable to work for more than two weeks now yet they are expected to pay rental fees.
Merry Nyagoma, a food vendor in the market explained that the market right now lacks water, saying they normally pump it using electric power connected to the market.
She noted that the situation in the market remains unbearable as Hoima City authorities keep a distance.
“Hoima city council is supposed to pay utility bills from the taxes we pay taxes. We are fed up with this situation of not having electricity,” she said.
When contacted, Hoima East division town clerk, Milton Asiimwe confirmed UMEME disconnected the market due to Shs 14 million power that has to be cleared before the market is reconnected.
He said the division inherited unpaid utility bills because all along the vendors have not been paying rent.
He noted that their hands are tied because the local revenue is collected by Uganda Revenue Authority [URA], which affects the operation of the division.
“It takes a month for the government to disburse back part of the collected local revenue. We last received money in December, so we are operating this town without any single coin” he said, urging market vendors to be calm, as they were negotiating with UMEME officials to reconnect the market to the power grid.
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