Chris Kiwawulo
17 June 2009
Kampala — KISEKKA Market vendors will be granted the lease to redevelop the market, the local government minister has said.
"The vendors will soon acquire the lease offer for the market in accordance with the directive of President Yoweri Museveni," Adolf Mwesige said in a letter to the vendors' chairman, Robert Kisembo.
The assurance followed a meeting Mwesige held with the vendors' leaders on Tuesday afternoon. He invited them to another meeting on Monday.
The traders then resolved to call off their riot and resumed work yesterday.
When The New Vision visited the market at around 10:00pm, business was normal with a few traders clearing the debris of the bonfires that they lit during the riot on Tuesday.
The burnt vehicle tyres left a thick black coating on all roads around the market.
Although calm had returned, the Police were still on guard.
The majority of those arrested in the riot were yesterday released on bond, according to Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba.
However, Eddie Mubiru, was still detained at the Central Police Station in Kampala.
According to the in-charge, Paul Kakamba, Mubiru faces charges of inciting violence.
The traders wrecked havoc when they stormed city streets on Tuesday protesting the delay by Government to hand them the lease to redevelop the market. They argue that each of the about 8,000 traders with stalls paid sh1m for the redevelopment in addition to a sh50,000 membership fee.
There are about 10,000 traders with 530 lockups in the market under their umbrella association, Nakivubo-Kisekka Market Vendors Ltd.
In December last year, the President directed that Rhino Investments, which had secured a 49-year lease to develop Kisekka market, vacate the place.
In a November 10 letter letter, he instructed the Attorney General, Khiddu Makubuya, to evaluate and compensate the developer. But Makubuya yesterday said the process would not be rushed to avoid mistakes.
In February last year, the vendors went on a two-day strike which paralysed business in the city after Kampala City Council leased the market to Rhino, which is owned by Col. John Mugyenyi.
They demanded to be given first priority.
But Mugyenyi said he followed the right procedure to acquire the market, which he wanted to redevelop at $16m (over sh32b).
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