Paidha, Uganda: Vendors operating in Paidha Main Market have appealed to local authorities to strengthen security after reporting repeated raids by mentally ill individuals (abicamukani) whom they say have been disrupting business, snatching foodstuffs and money, and posing a threat to traders and customers.
The concerns were raised during the National Cleaning Day exercise held on Saturday, an initiative aimed at promoting a cleaner environment, improving public health and preventing diseases associated with poor sanitation.
Paidha Main Market is home to more than 2,000 vendors, the majority of whom are women engaged in small-scale businesses locally known as abicamukani.
Speaking during the exercise, Joan Afoyorwoth, a cabbage vendor, appealed for urgent intervention, saying some mentally unstable individuals frequently enter the market and forcibly take merchandise or cash from traders.
“We need better security in the market because some mentally ill people forcefully snatch foodstuffs and money from women traders,” Afoyorwoth said.
Another vendor, Margaret Tekakwo, expressed concern for the safety of children sent to buy goods from the market, saying some have encountered mentally unstable individuals who occasionally become aggressive.
“Sometimes children who come to buy items find themselves in the hands of these mentally ill people, who can become violent and even assault them,” she said.
The chairperson of the Abicamukani Vendors Association, Jerose Ayerango, confirmed that such incidents have become increasingly common and called for immediate action from the relevant authorities.
She proposed restricting access to the market to improve security and protect both vendors and shoppers.
Responding to the concerns, Paidha Town Council Secretary for Social Services Silvano Urwinyu Ozelle said responsibility for maintaining security within the market primarily rests with the market tenderer.
“As the tenderer, part of the responsibility lies with you to provide an environment fit for business. If the gates are under your watch, then restrictions ought to be made on entry access,” Ozelle said.
During the cleaning exercise, Paidha Town Council Female Councillor Beatrice Obima said the operation also uncovered poor waste disposal practices within the market.
She noted that heaps of rubbish had been stuffed into openings in sections of the market’s papyrus-woven walls, while vegetable vendors reported finding used hair braids and weaves dumped in their trading areas, which they suspected had been brought into the market by mentally ill individuals.
Meanwhile, Paidha Town Council LC III Chairperson Amos Jacan said the council was already considering measures to improve security by strengthening monitoring at the market’s three main entrances.
He said the proposed measures are intended to enhance safety for traders and customers while ensuring the market remains a conducive environment for business.
The National Cleaning Day initiative forms part of the Government of Uganda’s broader Bulungi Bwansi programme, which seeks to strengthen environmental conservation, improve sanitation standards and reduce preventable diseases associated with poor waste management and unhygienic conditions.
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