PRIVATE MARKET OWNERS SENSITIZED ON NEW MARKETS LAW, STANDARDS

Private market owners in Kampala have been urged to align with the new Markets Act 2023 and other regulatory frameworks to improve working conditions and ensure decent, safe, and organized spaces for vendors.

This call was made during a sensitization meeting held at City Hall on June 19, organized by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), bringing together leaders and representatives from over 79 private markets in the city.

The meeting also attracted officials from the Private Sector Foundation, Ministry of Local Government, Uganda Police, and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO).

KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki commended private market owners for their role in supporting government efforts to provide livelihood opportunities to over 200,000 people engaged in market trade in Kampala.

“I am happy that our dream of working together with private investors to provide decent working spaces for our people is becoming a reality,” Buzeki said. “You are contributing to the social and economic transformation of the people of Kampala.”

She noted that the city’s 16 public markets cannot accommodate the growing demand for vendor space, which is why the government enacted the Markets Act 2023 to support the establishment and regulation of private markets.

Buzeki emphasized the need for all markets, public and private, to operate under the same minimum standards, including proper sanitation, fire safety systems like hydrants, registered vendor databases, zoned trading categories, and even designated child play areas to ensure child safety.

“We don’t want dirty, unpaved, or unsafe markets. All markets must meet hygiene and structural standards to protect vendors and their customers,” Buzeki stressed.

KCCA is currently developing regulations to guide the implementation of the Markets Act through an interagency committee on market development. The goal is to harmonize operations across all markets in the city and create an enabling environment for traders.

Shiela Birungi Gandi, the Director for Gender, Production, and Social Services at KCCA, reiterated that the Authority is mandated to regulate and license all private markets under the new law.

“Our focus is to ensure vendors operate in favorable conditions in accordance with the Markets Act and other laws such as the Public Health Act,” Birungi said. “This engagement was about creating awareness and supporting compliance so that market operations run smoothly and legally.”

KCCA pledged continued support and collaboration with private market owners to modernize Kampala’s trading spaces and ensure they contribute to the city’s broader goals of cleanliness, safety, and economic development.

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali

Communication and Media Relations Officer