Contractor directed to fix defects on Busia market

Busia, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Busia market contractor is on the spot over shoddy works 10 months after the market was opened.

The 25 Billion Shillings market located at Solo A village in the Western division was contracted to a Chinese company Zhongao-Zhongen joint ventures. It is part of the markets constructed under the Market and Agricultural Trade Improvement Project-MATIP-2 with funding from the African Development Bank.

During the inspection of the market on Tuesday by officials from Arch Design Limited, the company that designed the market, they pointed out several defects that include; leaking iron sheets, broken door shutters on some of the lockups, cracks on walls and poor drainage systems among others.

Traders operating at the upper and middle floor sections said that whenever it rains, their stalls flood. They are also worried that some of their products will get stolen due to broken lockups.

Mangeni Wacha, another trader says that he lost 7 bags of both maize and cassava after the market flooded.

Lameck Anthony Abongo, the consultant from Arch Design Limited says that they want the contractor to fix the defects in one month to enable traders to operate in a conducive environment.

Wang Feifei, a representative of the contractor however attributed the defects to mismanagement of the market by traders.

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URN