News
Lawmaker Attacked At Market Over Unfair Stall Allocation
A lawmaker has been forcibly removed from a market by his constituents angry the manner stalls there were being allocated.
Rubaga South MP Aloysius Mukasa had gone to the Busega market to investigate complaints from vendors about allegedly unfair stall allocations, but had himself shoved around.
One report said he narrowly escaped being attacked by an angry mob.
Controversy had trailed the allocation formula for stalls in the newly opened market warranting the lawmaker’s visit.
Emotions however ran high as Mukasa engaged vendors some of whom were aggrieved that their colleagues had illegally acquired multiple stalls, in a situation in which they had none.
Amidst the charged atmosphere, those who felt cheated began threatening Mukasa to leave.
It took the intervention of the police to restore normalcy after they dispersed the protesting traders and escorted Mukasa to safety.
“I was only responding to concerns raised by the vendors, who feel they have been treated unfairly,” Mukasa told reporters afterward.
READ ALSO: Lawmaker Punches Man To The Ground For Querying Bridge Closure
READ ALSO: UK Lawmaker Reacts To DSS Plot To Arrest Emefiele
“It’s unfortunate that the situation turned chaotic, but my intention remains to ensure fairness and accountability.”
The market at Busega, one of the divisions that makes up the city of Kampala, Uganda, which was commissioned newly provides a betraying environment but the allocation of stalls there has been trailed by controversy.
Some traders allege the process had not been transparent, resulting in some traders getting multiple allocations.
Mukasa says his determination to ensure fairness and equity in the stall allocation process had not waned.
The police has promised to continue to ensure order