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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Harrowing tales of Poor Traders Amidst Fear For Their Futures As Natete Market Demolition Looms

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By witnessradio.org team

It’s fulfilling for everyone to have where to call a workplace however little that working person could be earning from his job. When somebody has a job, bears hope of improving his status at a given stage.

However, that beacon of hope is speedily fading away for traders of Natete market as rumours about the looming demolition of their market gains momentum.

In June 2017, the traders say, they started to hear about some rumours that RR transporters had bought the land on which the market seats at Shs 3.5bn, after emerging the highest bidder in an auctioning process, allegedly ordered by the court.

It was found out that Musa Nnumba’s family, which owns the biggest part of the land on which the market seats used the land title as collateral to get a Shs 250m loan equivalent to US $ 75,000 (seventy five thousand dollars) loan from a money lender, but failed to pay back.

However, the transaction has been secretive and disregarding traders.

“There is no communication about the selling of our market or explanations about what is happening to our market and even our businesses if the new owner takes over the market,” says Bonny Kabugo, a longtime trader and the traders’ chairperson who points out that many traders will lose their businesses in this transaction. “It’s a disparaging way of treating traders.”

It’s on this background that angry traders of Natete market led by their leadership took to the streets on August 28th 2017, to protest the rumoured sell coupled with the impending demolition of their 89-year market that accommodates over 23,000 traders majority of whom are women and widows.

A protest was held and armed police deployed but almost to no avail because the traders seemed unstoppable, but what awaits them?

witnessradio.org, visited the market and spoke to numerous traders who expressed grievances, worried about their destiny.

25-year old Frank Kasirye, runs a chapatti stall where he deals in making lighter meals to the traders in and around the market. He has been working in this market for the last four years and he is a father of two children, one wife and his elder mother in the village courtesy of the proceeds amounting between Shs 15,000-Shs 20,000 everyday.

“I rent my house at Shs 70,000; I and my family depend on my business in this market. So, I don’t know what I can do without this market.” Kasirye said.

Hanifah Nambassa (45) is another trader, but she has worked from the threatened market for 25 years. She says that since time in memorial, Kampala Capital City Authority has been in charge of collecting dues from traders, until July 2017.

“KCCA has been the one collecting dues and we have receipts to that effect, but surprisingly, KCCA disowned us and when we run to our elected leaders, no one came to our rescue which forced us to demonstrate.”

“I am what I am today because of this market because it has helped me to pay fees for my children to become graduates, two of my children have been able to fly out to Turkey using the money I earned from this market,” said Nambassa.

Apart from those achievements, the single mother said that “I have my own house courtesy of this market, among other good things.”

She said that on average, she earns a minimum of 250,000 and a maximum of 50,000 on a good day as clear profit out of a net working capital totaling to Shs 200,000.

If the market gets demolished, Nambassa says that “my life would be in danger because I should have lost the source of my livelihood yet I am an elderly who is unemployable because no one can accept me.”

What has made the situation so hard; Nambassa said that “even in the villages have been taken by either land grabbers or speculators. So, I am wondering what I can do without this market.”

“I have seven workers all depending on this restaurant on a daily basis. So, just imagine what would happen to them if this market is demolished.”

Shifrah Namuyanja (35) who has worked from market since 2001 runs a restaurant in the same placewith two workers who depend on that restaurant and their families.

“I have four children that I’m looking after and I can earn over 40,000 a day.This market is the only source of income I have. So, when it gets demolished, I don’t know where else I can go to get financial assistance to sustain my family because we don’t even have an alternative.” Namuyanja said.

For George Nyenda  (40), the market where he has been for  more than 13 years  while selling bananas, is the “mother and the father.”

“This market is the source of everything I am supposed to do as a man. It’s where I get school fees, food, house rent and many others. If one person looks after 10 people, just imagine how many people would get affected if all these traders get evicted?” Nyende wondered.

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Top 10 agribusiness giants: corporate concentration in food & farming in 2025

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Today a handful of agribusiness corporations have consolidated unprecedented control over the world’s food supply, with devastating consequences for farmers, consumers and the planet. A new report by ETC Group and GRAIN examines the state of corporate concentration in six sectors critical to agriculture: commercial seeds, pesticides, synthetic fertilisers, farm machinery, animal pharmaceuticals and livestock genetics.

Corporate consolidation is increasing in most of these sectors and four of them– seeds, pesticides, agricultural machinery and animal pharmaceuticals– now meet the definition of an oligopoly, in which four companies control more than 40% of a market. Concentration can be even higher at the national level, as is the case with synthetic fertilisers.

Top findings from the report include:

  • Oligopolies dominate key sectors: Bayer, Corteva, Syngenta, and BASF control 56% of the global commercial seeds market, and 61% of the pesticides market.
  • Profiteering amid global crises: Agribusiness giants have exploited crises like the Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic to inflate prices. Fertiliser companies, for instance, saw revenues soar by 57% from 2020 to 2023, with some accused of price gouging.
  • Digital and biotech expansion: Corporations are rapidly integrating AI, gene editing, and digital platforms into agriculture through partnerships with Big Tech companies. These technologies enable data extraction from farmers, facilitate carbon credit schemes, and tighter control over food systems—while raising concerns about biosafety, privacy, and corporate monopolies.

View the Report

Source: grassrootsonline

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Land grabbers evict 360,000 Ugandans in 2024

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A staggering 363,021 Ugandans were displaced due to forced land evictions between January and June 2024, according to a new report by Witness Radio Uganda.

The report documented 90 cases of land evictions during this period, with nearly four incidents occurring weekly, affecting over 15,126 people and threatening 5,060 hectares of land nationwide.

The Central region was the epicenter, recording 52 eviction cases, followed by 24 in the Western region, eight in the Northern region, and six in the Eastern region. Alarmingly, the report estimated that 2,160 Ugandans face eviction daily, with 723 hectares of land at risk of being grabbed every day.

VIOLENCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Despite government promises and directives from President Museveni to halt evictions, land grabbers have routinely ignored these orders, often resorting to violence. Armed security forces, private militias, and police were reported to have carried out the majority of the evictions.

Of the reported cases, 37 were enforced by armed gangs on behalf of evictors, 25 involved Uganda Police, five were carried out with the participation of UPDF soldiers, and four were linked to private security companies.

“The egregious levels of impunity exhibited by land grabbers have left communities defenseless, creating an environment where their human rights are trampled without consequence,” said Jeff Wokulira Ssebaggala, country director of Witness Radio Uganda.

He called for accountability and justice, warning that the unchecked power of influential individuals and entities leaves marginalized communities vulnerable and without recourse.

DRIVERS OF EVICTIONS: INDUSTRIALIZATION AND LAND-BASED INVESTMENTS

The report identified the government’s push for industrialization and land-based investments as the primary drivers of forced evictions. Land is increasingly targeted for oil and gas extraction, mining, agribusiness and tree plantations for carbon offsets. While some of this land is already under development, other parcels remain vacant but are guarded by military personnel and private security firms.

Ssebaggala emphasized that industrialization must balance economic development with the protection of smallholder farmers’ rights to land and food security.

TRAGIC STORIES

The report highlighted harrowing cases that underscore the human toll of forced evictions. In Nakasongola, smallholder farmer Dan Ssebyala was ambushed and killed by armed men following a confrontation over disputed land. The district has become a hotspot for violent evictions involving absentee landlords and powerful investors.

Ismael Bwowe, a disabled father of 20, recounted how his land was confiscated after he demanded fair compensation. He faced intimidation, arrests and false charges from state authorities, including being accused of robbing an influential individual. Bwowe claimed that Total Energies offered legal support and representation on the condition that he accept their compensation terms.

“I refused,” he said, adding that the pressure to relinquish his land remains intense. The report underscores the urgent need for reforms to address forced evictions, ensure accountability, and protect the rights of vulnerable communities. Without meaningful intervention, Uganda risks deepening inequality and undermining the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who are essential to the country’s food security.

FAMILY JAILED AMID LAND DISPUTE

The plight of Richard Ssebagala, his wife Prossy Namande, and their relative Anania Ngabirano, residents of Kabubu-Kabongo village in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso district, highlights the human toll of Uganda’s ongoing land disputes. The family spent nine months in prison following their arrest on January 10, 2024, under controversial circumstances.

ARREST AND ALLEGATIONS

The arrests occurred at 1am, during a raid by officers from Luweero police station. Police reportedly banged on the doors and forcefully detained the family, accusing them of aggravated robbery. However, the family believes the arrest was a tactic linked to a land dispute with Benon Ntambi, a man who allegedly grabbed their land.

Before the arrests, Ntambi had reportedly destroyed crops, including tomatoes, potatoes, and bananas, on the contested land. While the family was incarcerated, a new building was constructed on their land, which is now occupied, raising further questions about the motivations behind their detention.

CALLS FOR JUSTICE

The case has drawn attention from Witness Radio Uganda, which has urged the government to take immediate action to address land grabbing and illegal evictions. The organization emphasized the need to strengthen land laws and protect vulnerable communities from abuses.

It also called for greater accountability in institutions such as the Uganda Police Force, the army and land registries, which are often accused of corruption and favoritism toward the wealthy.

“The government must prioritize justice for victims of illegal evictions and address systemic corruption that leaves the poor defenseless against land grabbers,” Witness Radio Uganda stated.

BROADER CONTEXT

This case underscores the broader issue of land conflicts in Uganda, where vulnerable families are often caught in disputes with powerful individuals or entities. Advocacy groups warn that the failure to address these issues not only erodes public trust but also perpetuates inequality and injustice.

As the government faces mounting pressure to act, the story of Ssebagala and his family serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for reforms to protect land rights and ensure justice for those impacted by land disputes.

Source: The Observer

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WITNESS RADIO MILESTONES

Uganda: Community members violently evicted by security forces, allegedly related to EACOP; incl. co. responses

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On 10 February 2023, more than 2,500 community members were forcibly evicted from their land in Kapapi village in Hoima district in Western Uganda by security forces, receiving no compensation or resettlement.

Witness Radio, an Ugandan non-profit organisation comprised of human rights investigative journalists, lawyers, and social workers, said that many people were wounded during the eviction, women were raped, and houses were destroyed.

Witness Radio said its investigations found that this eviction occurred to clear the path for the Tilenga feeder pipeline, part of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). According to Witness Radio, in 2022 Kapapi community members’ land was surveyed for the Tilenga pipeline and people were informed they would be compensated for the land. Instead, they were forcibly evicted, which Witness Radio allege was backed and financed by Swacoff Intertrade Company Limited, known to TotalEnergies. They also allege that guards from private security company Magnum Security were involved. Witness Radio has also found that dozens of local farmers who were evicted have been arbitrarily arrested and face criminal charges.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited TotalEnergies, Swacoff Intertrade Company Limited, and Magnum Security to respond to the allegations. TotalEnergies responded and stated that no land eviction activities had been carried out by or on behalf of TotalEnergies EP Uganda (TEPU) and EACOP Ltd and that none of the affected people are Tilenga or EACOP Project Affected Persons. Swacoff responded and said that the company has never engaged in forceful eviction of any sort and asserts that these allegations are completely false. Their full responses and rejoinders from Witness Radio are available below. Magnum Security did not respond.

Source: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

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