Owino Market Blazed again

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Beyond Ashes: Fire brigade crew containing fire from cutting over as onlookers buried in shock over the Owino Market that has been reduced to "soil"  (photo: New Vision Flicker)

Sunday July 31, 2011 might forever be a black-morning to remember for all Balikuddembe (owino) Market traders in Kampala who woke up to the burnt-ashes of their goods worth billions of shillings. The fire that started around 1:00AM tinted shock and grief on traders, sympathizers and authorities. This is the second time this down-town and most busiest market in the country is being gutted by fire.

Owino was first sent to mysterious flames in 2009 to what was alleged to be a malicious move by some individuals who wanted to force their way through to the adjacent bus-park yard. Police started inquiries but since then, the report has never been published! The Police Boss Major Gen. Kale Kihura told Journalists that investigations into the cause of the fire would start immediately and was also quick to stress that the inquiry into the 2009 were concluded though not made public and blamed public interference with the venue. Delivering the Presidents message, Vice President Ronald Kiwanuka said that the government was in "pain" with the traders who lost their property,  promising that the government would build a modern market for them.

Markets have been a great centre of contention in Uganda with different groups wanting to take full charge of markets while other individuals have tried to demolish some markets in name of "developing" them. As police strikes another long-to-mature inquiry, I hope the government will do something to settle thousands of traders who were left 'carrying their hands" in this hard time of economic crisis.