MP irritated over continued closure of Mbarara Central Market
MBARARA- Mbarara City North legislator Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari has asked the government to allow city vendors to occupy the redeveloped Mbarara Central Market.
Rukaari made his remarks on Tuesday at the city’s headquarters where he was attending a council meeting on 2022 /23 budget.
Out of 18 markets constructed in municipalities and cities, Rukaari said it is only Mbarara Central Market that has not been reoccupied due to politics and corruption among market leaders.
“Of all the markets in municipalities and cities, it is only Mbarara which was completed but has been closed and remained unoccupied for the last three months. Thank God they have been identified and the minister is coming tomorrow let’s work together to sort it out,” Rukaari said.
He appealed to the minister of Local Government Raphael Magyezi to open the market for the vendors to do business.
“Let us not be duped. Vendors know themselves and they will identify who was in that market. Vendors should be the first people to be given priority because they were requested to vacate the market in order for it to be constructed,” Rukaari noted.
The speaker Mbarara city, Bonny Tashobya Karutsya condemned minister Magyezi, saying he did not consult the local leadership on the allocation of the market stalls and lockups.
“Why don’t you use the down-top approach? We are stakeholders of Mbarara. There is nothing that should be done here without Mbarara’s leadership. We want him to come and we solve the issues of the market vendors,” Karutsya said.
He also accused Mbarara Resident City Commissioner Lt Col. James Mwesigye of not cooperating with the council. “We also have issues with the RCC. Why do we sit in dialogue and agree on an issue then after you act parallel? Then what role are you playing in Mbarara? At least respect the council. We all need development,” he said, adding that the market vendors want the facility to reopen soon.
Through the speaker, the city council sent their area MP to invite Hon. Magyezi to harmonise central market issues, he said.
“Tell the minister to come and talk with us so that we also tell him what we know. We should iron out the issues as soon as possible such that the market can reopen. If he insists on the top-to-bottom approach, then we shall also act parallel,” Karutsya said.
On his part, Moses Ariho, Resident city commissioner (RCC) Mbarara City North division said the president’s office should not be crucified because they were acting on the minister’s directives.
“We did not direct ourselves. We were requested by the minister to make sure we verify and do investigations on the lists of vendors. We did our part and submitted to the minister,” Ariho said.
He cited that the central market issue almost caused insecurity in the city, which forced the RCC’s office to get involved.
MP Rukaari further accused minister Magyezi of not including the city leadership in the planning process.
“It is irregular for anybody to come from outside and do allocations without consulting us the leaders. That’s why we are getting such contradictions,” he said.
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