The Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development, Balaam Barugahara, has allocated more than 204 lock-up shops at Kabale Central Market to tenants as part of efforts to address alleged irregularities in their ownership and protect the livelihoods of vendors.
The exercise forms part of the minister’s ongoing anti-corruption tour of the Kigezi sub-region, during which he inspected the market to establish the rightful beneficiaries of the lock-up shops.
During the allocation exercise in Kabale Municipality, Barugahara said some of the shops had allegedly been controlled by individuals posing as landlords, with some reportedly owning other properties within the city.
He accused some officials within the municipal administration and Kabale District Local Government of allegedly creating fictitious landlords in the system to claim ownership of the shops, a practice he said undermined the rights of the intended beneficiaries.
“Some individuals within the municipal administration and Kabale District Local Government had been creating fictitious landlords in the system to claim ownership of the lock-ups, a practice that undermines the rights of the intended beneficiaries,” Barugahara said.
To formalise the arrangement, the minister personally signed more than 204 occupancy agreements with the beneficiaries, giving them formal documentation for their respective shops.
Barugahara also warned individuals accused of intimidating vendors against interfering with the beneficiaries, saying those found responsible would face action.
“Some beneficiaries were being intimidated. Those involved should stop interfering with the vendors, and action will be taken against anyone found responsible,” he said.
The exercise is intended to address concerns over the allocation and control of market facilities, while ensuring that the shops serve the traders they were established to support.
Kabale Central Market was constructed in 2019 by Chong Chong International Construction (CICO), a Chinese company, under the World Bank-funded Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme (MATIP III).
The market forms part of government efforts to improve trading infrastructure and support agricultural trade and the livelihoods of vendors.
The latest allocation exercise comes amid wider efforts to address alleged corruption and administrative irregularities in the management of public facilities in the Kigezi sub-region.