Traders dealing in fresh agricultural foods in Jinja want local governments to streamline the operations at numerous roadblocks mounted along roads in areas from where they buy fresh food stuffs.
The traders accuse officials found at the roadblocks mounted along community roads and highways in Busoga region of asking for illegal fees and unnecessary delays along the roads, which affects their businesses.
Mudasiru Wamanga buys cabbages, onions and maize from Mbale district, which he sells at Amber Court Market in Jinja. He says officials at the roadblocks stop him along the roads and force him to pay extra fees, while transporting his merchandise from the villages.
Officials ask for money ranging from shillings 10,000 to 20,000 which is not receipted.
He says when one fails to pay up, his car and merchandise can be detained for unspecified time, which affects the time of delivery of fresh foods to the market. This causes his business to suffer.
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He says after loading ten sacks of onions from Mbale to Jinja, he expects a profit of 100,000 shillings. But depending on the number of roadblocks along his way and the payments made, the profits may fall to 30,000shillings- from 100,000shillings.
Amber court market has more than 700 fresh food vendors.
John Mulaza, a trader at Jinja Central Market, buys mangoes, passion fruits, lemon, guavas and tangarines from Kamuli and Buyende districts.
He says residents in village communities also mount roadsblocks in the name of maintaining community roads that have been ravaged by torrential rains.
He says contributing a little money would not be a bad thing, but the people in the villages mount road blocks after every village which makes it monotonous and taxing for the fresh food trader. The trader loses time and money along the way.
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Jinja Central Market has more the 500 fresh food vendors.
Ali Ntambi, an operations manager at one of Jinja check points along Engineer Dhikusooka road, says the check points or road blocks are staged in order to collect revenue on behalf of Jinja municipal council.
Payments are made in accordance to the tonnage of the vehicle loaded with fresh foods on a daily and monthly basis.
After payment, the trader is issued with a receipt for accountability purposes and to avoid double payment in Jinja district.
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Samson Lubega, South Eastern regional police spokes person, says the traders should report to police cases of illegal extortion of money or obtaining money by false pretence by some people along highways. He says it is only official revenue collectors meant to ask for money and a receipt should be given to the person paying the money.
