By Jimmy Muhumuza,
Parliament.
Magyezi has tabled the proposal before parliament’s committee on public service and local government to give the ministry s views on the markets bill 2022 that was tabled before the committee by workers mp Margret Rwabushaija.
Magyezi informed the members of parliament that they want the law to ensure that politicians, civil servants, and public servants are not allowed to own stalls in a market within their jurisdiction saying that this will limit conflict of interest by people who are supposed to manage the markets.
The Rukungiri woman mp Midius Natukunda objected to the minister’s proposal saying that counselors should not be excluded from owning stalls because this can be one way of earning a living since many of them don’t earn a salary from their political office.
The Kiruhura district woman mp Twinobusingye Jovanice disagreed with Natukunda saying that there is a need to limit political leaders taking up stalls in markets saying that if they leave it open they might use their influence to own almost all the stalls in the markets.
The mover of the bill Margert Rwabushaija says that only counselors who had stalls in the market before it was constructed should be considered to avoid issues of conflict of interest.
The PWDS Member of Parliament Joyce Acan says that if politicians are allowed to own stalls public servants will think that they are being segregated against by parliament and it should be left open for everyone to own a stall as long as it is not more than one.
The minister informed MPs that in the bill they are restricting one stall per vendor saying the problem of absentee landlords in the markets is the cause of limited space in markets resulting in vendors turning to streets to operate their businesses.
The mover of the bill Margert Rwabushaija says that only counselors who had stalls in the market before it was constructed should be considered to avoid issues of conflict of interest.
The Rukungiri woman mp Midius Natukunda however challenged the minister on the empty stalls in the upper sections of the markets which prompted the chairperson Godfrey Onzima to blame it on the local governments who have failed to implement zoning guidelines in markets to ensure that the same commodities are sold on the same levels.
