Leaders in Kotido Municipality’s South Division are appealing to district authorities to return control of a market that has been abandoned for over eight years.
The market, originally built by Mercy Corps, was a crucial income source for the community before its relocation and subsequent neglect.
The market’s abandonment followed its relocation to Loletio Sub-county after the creation of Kotido Municipality. Since then, its structures have been swallowed by bushes and vandalized, rendering it unusable.
Andrew Lomalie, the urban chairperson for South Division, explained that a management dispute between the two administrative units led to the market’s abandonment.
According to Lomalie, the South Division authorities were forced to allocate a new market site in Kilak Cell but the new location is far from the business center and lacks proper structures to accommodate traders.
Businessman Kizito Eriama, from Panyangara, expressed optimism about the market’s potential. He believes that with proper management, the market could be revitalized and once again become a significant income generator for the community.
Efforts to get a comment from John Bosco Lokora, the Loletio Sub-county Chief, regarding the market’s non-operational status were unsuccessful, with repeated phone calls going unanswered.
A source at the Kotido district headquarters, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed that the matter is “being handled” but could not provide a timeline for when the issue would be resolved.
