Boycotting: Multi-million Market Facility in Maracha District Left to Birds & Insects After UPDF Flogged Congolese & Ugandans in the Market.

📸: The abandoned market facility at Malaba boarder. Photo by Information is Power.

In many areas where modern market facilities are generating millions of shillings in terms of revenue collection for the government and also improving the livelihood of people in such areas through businesses, in Maracha District, the story is different.

Traders and locals from both DRC Congo and Uganda have abandoned multi-million newly constructed Malaba market facility after they were mercilessly beaten by UPDF soldiers during enforcement of Covid-19 SOPs in March-2021.

📸: DRC Congo  - Uganda boarder, Malaba. Photo by Information is Power on Friday 9-June-2023.

The facility which costed Shs 70,000,000  is located at Malaba boarder between DRC Congo and Uganda in Paranga Sub-county, Maracha District and its project was funded by government of Uganda under Discretionary Development Equalisation Grant (DDEG) program.

WHAT THE TRADERS ARE SAYING.

The traders and locals especially from Ugandan side have insisted that, since it was the UPDF soldiers who flogged and dispersed them, it should also be the same UPDF force to go and convince them to return back to the new market facility but not any other government department or Maracha district leadership to convince them.

📸: Mr Drani Richard whole speaking to Information is Power reporters on Friday 9-June-2023.

Livestock trader Mr Drani Richard from Olivu village, Ajikoro parish in Paranga Sub-county blamed UPDF soldiers for using excessive force during enforcement of Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in February and March 2021.

He said, the market on Ugandan side at Malaba is far much better because if they cross to sale their livestock and other items in DRC Congo market, the authorities in DRC side at malaba over charge them by taking Shs 3000 as market due for each goat.

At times when you are not careful after selling your products at the market in Congo side, your monies will be robbed along the way when leaving Congo side, Mr Drani lamented as he urges authorities in Uganda to work all the possible means to revamp the market on Ugandan side.

📸: Mrs Candiru Maria speaks to Information is Power reporters.

Mrs Maria Candiru alluded that, she was equally surprised and disappointed like other vendors on how the market collapsed yet they had high hopes of vending in it.

📸: Hon Osutre Godfrey speaks to Information is Power on Friday 9-June-2023.

Speaking to our reporter, the LC III Chairperson for Paranga Sub-county Hon Osutre Godfrey decried the actions of the UPDF soldiers which led to traders boycotting the market facility, adding that, he is working closely with his Sub-county officials to ensure Maracha District leadership takes an action to restore sanity so that traders form both countries will start to use the facility.

He said, disorder at malaba boarder has now become as an advantage for Congolese fish traders and other categories of traders to cross into Congo with their goods minus paying any tax to the Ugandan authorities at malaba boarder.

Hon Osutre has appealed to security forces in Maracha District to at least mount a roadblock at Okokoro trading centre in greater Kijomoro Sub-county in oder to collect taxes from Congolese traders to avert dodging of tax payment.

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