Lwengo road side vendor’s angered by government’s failure to provide latrines

BY WILSON KAMUKONO

LWENGO: A section of road side vendors in Lwengo at Kamuutuza along Kampala –Mbarara highway has expressed concern over lack of lavatory services and humps which is risking their health and lives.

Francis Kabiito chairman of road side vendors at Kamuutuza told this reporter that they are registering about four deaths per month caused by speeding vehicles as vendors cross roads to sell maize , water , mangoes, soda and other food stuff .

“Our colleagues have been disabled and others died as vendors we lose approximately four people per month as they cross the road to sell food staffs and drinks and at least five people survive with serious injuries leaving them disabled,” he said

Augustine Eyamuremye a maize vendor at Kamuutuza noted that they have been crying out to leaders to help them with basic services like a latrine and ‘put humps to control the speed of vehicles in vain.

“There is no leader of Lwengo and Uganda who doesn’t use our services because even president Museveni passes here and he knows our existence but our efforts to have humps and a latrine falls on deaf ears,” he said

Eyamuremye said that although government has rolled out different programs like Emyooga and Parish Development Model (PDM) aiming at improving people’s income, road side vendors has not been considered and whenever they try to tap into such opportunities government officials indicate that such slot of road side vendors is not available.

Fancis Mugenyi who vends drinks along the highway said they have been doing the vending work for the last 10 years while others have done the work for more than 10 years but leaders are not heeding to their request.

”This is our work station which should be respected and we task government to provide for us a decent and basic working conditions especially humps that can prevent the speed of vehicles that are killing vendors every day ,” he said

He noted that vending is their only source of income to fend for their families and livelihood and they have limited funds to help construct a decent latrine calling upon Lwengo district leaders to their rescue.

Rosemary Kakembo another vendor dealing in mangoes noted that the government should consider giving them a market with stalls and other related shelters like toilets /latrines as it is the case in Lukaaya- Kalungu district along Masaka –Kampala highway .

“We appeal to all our members of parliament in Lwengo ,Chairman LCV and other stakeholders at national level to come and help us improve our livelihood and save lives by providing humps and lavatory facilities,” he said

However Vicent Birimuye, vice chairman Lwengo district refuted the above claims saying they have never received any formal notification about the challenges from vendors.

“Vendors know the Lwengo district offices and leaders instead of going to media they should formally petition responsible offices about the matter,” he said

Kamuutuza houses over 200 roadside vendors who deal in food stuffs and drinks where multitudes of people stop from western Uganda and from Kampala and other parts of the country to quench thirty or get something to eat. It is along Masaka –Mbarara highway.