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Failure to reconstruct Jinja Central Market could cost votes for the incumbent politicians.
Several market vendors in Jinja central Market are threatening to deny all the incumbents their votes, for failure to reconstruct the market.
Jinja central market was gutted by fire twice.
Government, and other local politicians pledged on several occasions for lobby to reconstruct the market but five years down the road, nothing has been done.
During his tour of Jinja late last year, President Museveni told the vendors that government had set aside 10 billion shillings for the reconstruction work.
But the vendors are now wondering about the whereabouts of the money. Some say that this could have been a campaign gimmick to win support. They have also accused the incumbent politicians in Jinja of failing to spearhead the reconstruction efforts.
Kenneth Kitimbo, a dealer in second hand clothes says he will not give his vote to any incumbent politician.
\ Cue in "so many promises..."
Cue out "...you lose my vote."//
Godfrey Kanyike, another vendor, says he will not vote for any incumbent, save for Mohammed Beswari Kezaala, the mayor, who tried to woo Asian investors to reconstruct the market.
\ Cue in "when it is..."
Cue out "...our district."//
Failure to reconstruct the market has come at a cost for the swelling numbers of the vendors. The number of vendors at Jinja Central Market has surged from 3,500 in 2002 to 10,000.
Norah Kiberu, a groundnuts seller, says she has been incurring a 200,000-shilling loss per month due to lack of storage facilities.
\ Cue in "I don't feel good..."
Cue out "...body who is a liar."//
The first Presidential pledge came after Jinja central market got burnt in 2002,but was never fulfilled.
Again prior to 2006 presidential elections Yoweri Kaguta Museveni promised the vendors the market would be complete by 2009, but in December -2009, the minister of Local Government reaffirmed that the reconstruction of Jinja central market would commence by March -2010 which also came to pass. This date passed.
Hon. Nathan Igeme Nabeta MP Jinja West told the vendors the construction would begin by 1-4-2010, but shortly after that the Movement chief whip, Hon. David Migereko while visiting the market disclosed to the vendors the construction of Jinja central market would begin in July 2010.
