Over 500 vendors at Najjembe market are counting losses following closure of their market.
The market located in Mabira forest was closed on Thursday this week before they were all forced to take and other belongings home until the end of a 14 days’ home isolation.
The decision to close the market was reached after three vendors tested positive against covid-19 disease.
Although the Buikwe Residential District Commissioner Jane Frances Kagayi says the closure is meant to ensure safety of vendors and shall not take so long, vendors already claim that much of their produces are not rotting in houses.
Sulaina Najjuka one of the vendors dealing in sweet plantains (gonja) says she had purchased it in plenty targeting taxis that have just resumed working but now is all being put to waste.
“I almost stopped working when taxis were banned, despite of surviving through hardship I decided to save the little money I had so that I can use it as starting capital when they resume. They have resumed and the market is closed.” Najjuka recounts.
John Magunda who deals in beverages notes many of the drinks are likely to expire in refrigerators since they don’t know when the market shall be opened again.
The RDC Kagayi however appeals to the vendors to observe the given guidelines especially staying at home for the situation to quickly normalize so that they can resume work.
Najjembe is among the busiest roadside markets in the country with over with over 1500 vendors but due to current lockdown majority of them abandoned the market. The management also embarked on reducing numbers to about 500 vendors in the efforts curb spread of covid-19.
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