Authorities in Mukono District have threatened to close the Kame valley market over non-adherence to the presidential and health guidelines aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
The district Covid-19 task force officials headed by Fatuma Ndisaba, the area RDC, said that vendors have failed to implement the procedural standards.
The covid 19 team toured the market and discovered a number of irregularities like; bars full of people in the market, gambling machines, Children playing pool and many stalls didn’t have soap and water and the required social distancing.
Ndisaba immediately ordered the closure of bars and gambling places until the market leadership ensures the Covid-19 standard operating procedures are put in place.
“I Am giving u only three days to sort yourselves in the market, on Sunday i’m going to close this market because the government is entitled to keep it’s people alive, Police and army personnel be on standby to keep vendors away from the facility if they fail to comply” Ndisaba warned.
Ndisaba also ordered all Kame valley vendors to start sleeping in the market in order to control the spread of the disease, she also warned to arrest vendors who come with children in the crowded market in this worrying situation, she warned those not willing to sleep in market to stay at home until the situation gets back to normal.
“Let the market leadership provide me with the names of the vendors willing to sleep in the market so that we provide them with mosquito nets, please keep away the Children from the market, leave them at home because they can contract the disease and transmit it to their friends” said Ndisaba.
The market chairperson, Sserunjogi admitted that his traders failed to adhere with the guidelines, he however accused some of the vendors of taking presidential directives for granted.
“Madam RDC I admit that things are not well in line SOPs but please don’t close our market in this taff times, madam I promise
that we are going to put things right;” Sserunjogi pleaded.
However, some vendors have tasked the Mukono covid19 taskforce to provide the market with the necessary equipment to test people using the market.
“Let the district task force provide the necessary equipment to test people entering the market before they think of closing our market, saying that we sleep in yet we don’t have mosquito nets” , vendors said.
Kame valley market commonly known as (Kikko) is the biggest facility in Mukono District with about 10,000 vendors.