Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara has ordered Mbarara City Council to identify genuine traders at Mbarara Central Market and crack down on individuals accused of renting out public stalls at inflated prices.Barugahara issued the directive during an unannounced inspection of the market in Mbarara City, where he expressed concern that some people had taken over stalls and lock-up shops meant to benefit small-scale traders.The minister accused the individuals of exploiting vendors by charging them high monthly rents for facilities constructed by the government to support low-income earners.He said the market was established to give ordinary traders affordable spaces to conduct business, not to provide an opportunity for people to occupy stalls and make money by renting them out to others.Barugahara questioned how traders could be expected to pay as much as Shs150,000 monthly for a lock-up shop in a public market.
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