Kasese Central Market occupancy crisis raises questions over design

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It is now close to five years since President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni commissioned the Kasese Central Market, a sh16 billion facility constructed under the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme (MATIP-1).

Located in the Central Division of Kasese Municipality, the modern market boasts 467 stalls and 311 lockups designed to accommodate more than 800 vendors. However, several reports indicate that nearly half of these stalls and lockups remain vacant.

Speaking to New Vision on March 11, 2026, several market vendors, including Jovia Biira, attributed the problem to the market’s design. She said it is not trade-friendly in terms of accessibility, forcing many traders to display their items on the veranda at the entrance in order to attract customers.

"Inside there, the stalls are in the dark but also not easily accessible by the customers, leaving most of us unable to sell our items. Worst of it all, hawkers freely do their business within the market premises," Biira said.

Remegio Masereka, another market vendor and the person in charge of defence at the market, highlighted additional challenges, including unreliable electricity and inadequate security, which discourage traders from occupying the stalls.

"Actually, that's why most traders have shifted to a neighbouring market commonly known as Mawa, which is in an open place and relatively cheap," Remegio said.

Additionally, Enoch Bwambale, also a vendor at the market, said that for the past three months, the facility has not had functioning washrooms. This has forced traders to resort to using buckets, polythene bags and plastic bottles, worsening the sanitation situation.

Some of the empty stalls at Kasese Central Market.

"Because of the poor management of the washrooms, authorities decided to close them, leaving us with a huge health risk, yet they charge us heavy taxes," he said.

KMC authorities respond to the claims

Wilson Lhughabwe, the Kasese municipal principal community development officer, explained that the multi-billion shilling market was largely intended for traders with limited capital. He added that the rent for stalls remains sh20,000, a figure he said is affordable for most traders.

"And the issue of hawkers is being handled because we are working on zoning for purposes of revitalising all markets within the municipality," Lughabwe said.

"For that reason, we have issued an ultimatum of one month for the people who vend their goods on the veranda to have either occupied stalls or vacate the market," he added.

Responding to the health concerns, Kasese Central Division health inspector Jockus Bwambale said authorities were working to address the challenges surrounding the closed washrooms in the market.

"In the meantime, utilise the public toilets at Rwenzori Square because they are near and accessible.