After eight years of no operation, Kisekka Market has been repossessed by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for renovation and subsequent occupancy by traders

Amid heavy police and military presence, the city authority yesterday commenced levelling of ground to pave the way for development works in fulfilment of the presidential directives on the management of markets in the city.

The directive requiring all government markets to be under KCCA was issued to the Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Minsa Kabanda.

The KCCA executive director Dorothy Kisaka was on the ground to ensure that the repossession of the chaotic market went peacefully.

"We have come to take over and grade this part of the land that is vacant so that our people who have nowhere to trade from can find a place to trade," Kisaka said amid cheers from the vendors.

The peaceful exercise began by bringing down a fence that had been constructed around the vacant land.

"As you know we did an operation and cleared the streets and most of those hawkers have nowhere to trade from. For us we want to grade this area and our task force will ensure that the right people come and they start trading here," she said.

KCCA has put in place a task force to handle market issues in all the 16 government markets in Kampala. The task force will also guide on who will operate these markets.

Kisekka Market, like many others in Kampala, sits on leased land whose perpetual owner is Uganda Land Commission.