The President commissioned the market during Uganda’s 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations, held in Kitgum District under the theme: “Sustaining a United and Progressive Nation: Taking Charge of Our Future as a Free Nation”.
Kitgum Main Market is one of the Market Infrastructure Developments built under the Markets And Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme-2 (MATIP-2), aimed at improving the economic and social infrastructure in urban markets, induce incremental production and marketing of Agricultural commodities, enhance incomes of vendors, increase employment opportunities and increase customer satisfaction.
This intervention is based on the findings of a feasibility study commissioned by the Government of Uganda, in March 2008, to review and assess local markets’ infrastructure and functional status across the country.
During the commissioning, the Minister for Local Government, Hon. Raphael Magyezi informed the President that Kitgum Main Market is one of the 12 additional markets that have been constructed under MATIP-2 at a cost of Shs24.55 billion (VAT inclusive).
“The new Market of Kitgum will accommodate over 1,700 market vendors and has several facilities which include, fruit and vegetables stalls, matooke stalls, meat lockups, dry and fresh fish stalls, assorted lockups/shops, saloons, bulk stores, cold rooms, market administration offices and meeting and prayer rooms,” said Hon. Magyezi.
The Minister also told President Museveni that the market has other support facilities like utility rooms, control rooms, solar system, CCTV system, fire extinguishers, Banking and SACCO facilities, parking space, among other amenities.
“The allocation of the new market facilities has been decentralized to Urban Authority and Leadership of the Market to ensure that all registered vendors take first priority in the allocation of the new facilities in the market.”
MATIP-2 which is an expansion of MATIP-1, was officially launched in March 2016 and designed to redevelop 12 markets in urban councils across different regions of Uganda and 3 high level value addition facilities in Arua, Busia and Soroti.
