Arua City Fishmongers Storm RCC’s Office In Protest Over Relocation
The aggrieved fishmongers speaking to journalists at RCC's office on Wednesday.
ARUA. Hundreds of fish mongers in Arua main market have stormed the office of Arua Resident City Commissioner (RCC) protesting the decision taken by Arua Central Division authorities to relocate them from the main government market to a proposed market in Crub Cell, Kenya Ward.
The fishmongers dealing in the fish imported from South Sudan on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, marched and gathered at the Mayor’s Garden as their leaders entered into an adhoc meeting in RCC’s office for over two hours.
While at the Mayor’s Garden, the aggrieved fishmongers carried placards encrypted with different writings including; ‘Malik has a share in Crub market-RCC’ and ‘Malik we don’t want tribalism,’ among others – all referring to Malik Drakuma, the Arua Central Division Town Clerk for allegedly taking the decision to relocate them from the newly constructed government market.
Beatrice Candiru, one of the protesting fishmongers wondered why the Central Division authority wants to relocate them at the time when they have already settled at the main market.
“We are told that the market they want to relocate us to is owned by some individuals in Arua Central Division and now they are claiming that the salt of the fish we are selling is spoiling the doors of the main market and the tarmac along the market, a reason they want to take us to the market in Crub which we have refused,” Candiru said.
“We are opposed to the Crub market because the government has built for us this market which we are already occupying and enjoying. So, why do they want to remove us from the government facility and take us elsewhere if it is not for selfish interest?” Candiru asked.
Candiru was quickly joined by Scovia Lekuru who said as fishmongers in Arua, they are not ready to leave the main market for the proposed market at the moment.
According to Lekuru, they were allocated pitches in the government main market, adding that there is no need to relocate them elsewhere as proposed by the Central Division officials.
“From the time we were allocated space in the main market, we have greatly contributed to reduction of crime in the city because we have given work to most of the youths who were idle here. Some are now loaders, off loaders while others sell fish with us. Now do these leaders want these youths who are supporting their families to go back on the streets including us who are paying our children’s school fees? Instead, we shall not go where they want,” said Lekuru.
Similarly, Zaitun Onzia, another fish monger also a staunch NRM supporter, said they don’t want anybody to deprive them from the right to work in the main market constructed by the government.
Stephen Anguyo, the main market supervisor, blamed Malik for allegedly taking the decision to relocate the fishmongers to Crub without consulting some of them.
But we couldn’t verify the claim from Malik by press time at Arua City offices as he declined to talk to journalists on the fateful day and decided to enter his official car and drove away.
However, David Kyasanku, the Arua City Clerk, said it is very unfortunate that before they conclude on anything, the matter is already in the media.
“Normally, the council sits, council looks at a number of decisions, the technical people look at a number of workable solutions because as you see this market, the market belongs to the city and therefore, the city mobilizes, organizes the trading order and what happens in the market,” Kyasanku said.
He noted that there were ideas mooted to do the trade order and among the trade orders was the issue of the fish business.
“We are the ones who took the fish there because of the wars that were happening from Lobidra market. We separated the two teams from one group of Tonny and Mauti. But now, no decision has been taken to transfer anybody. This is why I get a bit disturbed!” Kyasanku said.
He added that: “There can be discussions in meetings but before a decision of council, is when the City Clerk signs a letter and says this is what is happening but we can never stop anyone from bringing ideas. In meetings people bring ideas, in meetings people can have their ideas but when we sit as a team, we analyze whether the decisions are okay. So, why I’m saying someone jumped the gun, there is no decision that has been taken by the city to relocate these fishmongers.”
Kyasanku observed that Arua city collects on average Shs80m per month from Arua main market of which fish contributes substantially.
Swadick Angupale Alemi, the Deputy Arua RCC in charge of the Central Division, said in their meeting with the leadership of the fishmongers, they asked them to go back to the main market and resume work pending the outcome of a meeting the RCC’s office is yet to organize with Arua city technical officials about the matter.