Gulu market bans political campaigns

Gulu, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Authorities at the Gulu main market have banned any political campaign in and outside the market premises.

It’s usually a practice by politicians to go and hold their campaign rallies in front of the main market. Last month several people were injured and items stolen during a campaign rally.

Francis Megolonyo, the Market Master Gulu main market says they resolved to ban any political activity inside and outside the market saying in most cases, the people who go to attend the rallies are a security threat to the vendors properties. Others intimidate security causing confrontations which in some cases result into teargas and other measures.

According to Megolonyo, the decision follows several complaints and concerns raised by vendors who lost their goods and money to thieves posing as supporters of opposition candidates who either stage their campaigns at the parking lot of the main or passing by the facility which hosts over 1,000 vendors.

Megolonyo notes that hosting campaigns at the market also affects their revenue collections but also could lead to the spread of COVID-19 which will mean the market could also be closed.

Isaac Agogo, a vendor at the market says the banning of the campaigns at the market was necessary, himself having lost several items because some of the people who go attending the rallies turn out to be thieves who take advantage of the business and confusions.

Florence Lalam, another vendor at the market says in most when campaigns were ongoing at the market, it affected the normal operation of the vendors because one would be forced to attend the rallies especially when it’s around your area of business since traffic will be disrupted.

Richard Rubangakene, who operates a computer center at the market buys the idea of banning campaigns at the market saying not all people who go to the market to listen to the campaigns actually go for that purpose.

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