Vendors in Gulu main market continue facing power outages due to the failure of the city authorities to fuel the standby generators to provide alternative power during blackouts. The more than 200 million Shillings generator has been lying idle for nearly seven years since it was installed.
Gulu Main Market is one of the markets that were built with funding from the African Development Bank under the Market and Agricultural Trade Improvement Project (MATIP). The market suffers persistent power blackouts due to the failure to clear electricity bills on time and inconsistent power supply.
This has forced several vendors to abandon the market and sell merchandise along the road in front of the market during evening hours. Gulu Main Market receives 18% of the total revenue collected under the revenue-sharing arrangement. However, Patrick Omaya the Chairperson of Gulu Main Market Vendors Association told URN that the money is used only for maintenance.
He explained that the market authorities require no less than 550 million Shillings yearly to run the generator, which they cannot afford. He notes that the Gulu City Council previously secured a smaller generator that only serves 52 shops in the basement and vegetable stalls.
According to Gulu City authorities, the generator requires at least 20 liters of petrol fuel to operate per hour yet the market operates at least thirteen hours daily. Alfred Okwonga, the Gulu City Mayor, said that they intend to sell the generator and procure solar panels to address the problem of repeated blackouts.
-URN
