Museveni orders probe into Arua Market stalls allocation 

President Yoweri Museveni has directed the State House anti-corruption unit (Shacu) to investigate irregularities in the allocation of lockups and stalls at Arua Central Market. 

While addressing a public rally at the West Nile golf ground in Arua City Wednesday, Museveni said that he received a report from the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), indicating that Arua city council officials irregularly allocated lockups, stall and public utilities in the market to themselves as opposed to the original vendors.

The president who is currently on an investment and wealth creation tour in West Nile further likened the challenges at the market to the Wandegeya market woes where the local leaders erroneously allocated lockups and stalls to themselves before later sub renting them out to vendors.

Museveni told the locals that the complaints over the allocation of stalls and lockups in the newly constructed market is a very simple issue which will soon be handled by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.

“I got a report from ISO that the disease in Arua is like the disease in Wandegeya in Kampala. When the market was made instead of old people coming back, the city council people allocated themselves,” said Museveni. 

When tasked to explain the challenges affecting the main market, Arua resident city commissioner Alice Akello confirmed to the president that her office is aware of irregularities in the market.

Akello further said that she was tasked by the minister for Local government, Raphael Magyezi in July last year to probe the allocation of spaces in the new market and she submitted a report to the relevant authorities for intervention.

Arua main market which is located in Arua central division was constructed with funds from African Development Bank at a tune of Shs 34.9 billion under the second phase of the Market and Agricultural Trade Improvement Program (MATIP II). 

The market commenced operations in January last year following the relocation of at least 2,992 vendors. However, up to date at least 782 stalls and lockups have remained unallocated in the newly constructed market due to the unresolved conflicts.