Shs73bn Mpigi Central Market construction begins as traders relocate

What the report says

Construction has begun on the Shs73 billion Mpigi Central Market, according to Nile Post, as traders move from the old site to a temporary market at the Mpigi District Works Offices. The project is intended to deliver a modern trading facility for Mpigi Town and is being carried out under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Urban Development Programme.

Nile Post reports that Hebron Investments Limited is handling the works, with completion expected within one year. By the time the outlet visited the site, equipment had already been deployed and preparations were under way. The new market is expected to improve trading conditions and support business activity once finished.

Traders welcomed the start of construction but said sales at the temporary site have been weaker because many customers are not yet aware of the relocation. They asked authorities to improve access to the temporary market, put up signposts, and ensure stalls in the new market are allocated fairly, with existing traders given priority. The traders’ chairperson also urged a design that provides visible, practical selling spaces rather than box-style stalls.

Mpigi Town Council Mayor Hassan Wasswa Mujuzi separately raised safety concerns about the temporary market’s location near schools and a busy road, calling for traffic control measures such as speed humps and road signs. More broadly, the development reflects ongoing public investment in urban market infrastructure, which in Uganda often aims to formalize trade, improve sanitation and ease congestion, though the exact local benefits will depend on how the project is managed.