Masindi market vendors decry rampant theft, blame lax security

Masindi: Tensions are rising among vendors at Masindi Central Market in the Central Division of Masindi Municipality as they express growing frustration over rampant night-time theft and alleged negligence by market security personnel.

Under the leadership of the Masindi Central Market Vendors Association, traders say they have made repeated appeals to the municipal council authorities to address the worsening situation, but their pleas have gone unanswered.

Ramathan Bosa, Chairperson of the Market Vendors Association, told our reporter that despite several engagements with the authorities, no meaningful action has been taken.

“We are tired of empty promises. Authorities have pledged to meet with us and resolve the security issues, but nothing has been done,” Bosa said.

He warned that if the situation does not improve, vendors will stop paying taxes and storm municipal and district headquarters to demand action.

Kiiza Aisha, Chairperson of the Irish and Matooke vendors group, echoed the concerns, accusing both central and municipal leadership of failing their responsibilities despite collecting monthly taxes from traders.

“We pay taxes faithfully every month, but our goods are stolen at night. We are fed up. If nothing changes, we will stop paying taxes and take to the streets in protest,” Kiiza said.

She also criticized authorities for failing to regulate street vending, noting that food sellers in vehicles parked around the town are affecting their businesses and possibly contributing to the insecurity.

Katusabe Naume, another vendor, shared her ordeal, saying she pays Shs15,000 monthly in taxes yet recently lost tomatoes worth Shs200,000 due to theft.

Similarly, Nabase Stella, who has operated in the market for over 20 years, said she’s on the brink of losing her business. She revealed that she operates on loans from moneylenders and the Parish Development Model (PDM) program and can no longer sustain the losses caused by theft.

Florence Akweteireho also shared her story, saying she lost a stock of Irish potatoes to thieves just yesterday. She is currently servicing a loan and pays Shs8,000 daily, but has been left without capital.

Francis Asiimwe, Senior Town Clerk for the Central Division, acknowledged the challenges but said security within the market is not the responsibility of the municipality.

“The guards in the market are deployed on humanitarian grounds. It’s actually the responsibility of vendors to manage their own security,” Asiimwe explained.

He clarified that the division’s role is limited to garbage collection and sanitation, not security deployment.

Isaac Bongomin, Central Division Chairperson, added that the market currently has four security guards, but emphasized that security is tendered to the vendors themselves. He refuted the theft claims, saying the division has not received any official reports and suggested the allegations may be politically motivated.

Despite these statements from officials, vendors remain unconvinced, insisting that a lack of effective security measures is leading to frequent losses and threatening their already fragile businesses.

With the threat of tax boycotts and protests looming, the standoff between vendors and municipal authorities may soon escalate if urgent solutions are not found.

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