At least 90 percent of the lockups at the newly constructed Arua central market have been irregularly sub-rented by their owners, according to an investigation report by Arua Resident City Commissioner RCC Alice Akello.
The investigation follows a directive by the Minister for Local government, Raphael Magyezi.
During his visit to Arua city July 20-21st, 2022, Magyezi directed the office of the resident city commissioner to carryout investigations on the allocation of facilities in Arua central market following complaints by a section of vendors who missed out on stalls in the market.
According to the report, 90 percent of the lockups are already sub rented by their owners to other vendors who do not have tenancy agreement with Arua City council as stipulated in the Market and Agricultural trade improvement program-MATIP guidelines.
“90% of lockups are sub rented by the owners for example Lock up number 38 is on rent at UGX 800,000 per month and lock up 30 is on rent at UGX 500,000 per month,” reads part of the report.
The Arua Resident City Commissioner, Alice Akello says that they discovered that the original lockup owners who have a running agreement with the city council had already sub rented their lockups to other traders at a very higher price more than the one charged by the city authorities.
Currently, Arua city Council charges between UGX 80,000 to UGX 300,000 per month for the lockups at the market depending on the size, which is far below the fees charged by those sub renting their premises.
But, Nelson Dada, the chairperson of Arua market vendor has punched holes in the report noting that traders are not interested in renting lockups and stalls in the market due to the widespread street vending. He further challenged the city authorities to focus on ensuring that the vendors who abandoned their stalls return to the market.
In his report to Parliament for the financial year 2020/21, the Auditor General John Muwanga noted that seven markets constructed by the government through the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Project (MATIP-1) had accumulated 1.4 billion shillings in arrears due to low revenue collection, something among others blamed on irregular subletting.
Arua central market which was opened in January last year was constructed under the second phase of the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme at a tune of UGX 34 billion.
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