President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has inaugurated the newly constructed Kitgum Main Market during Uganda’s 61st Independence Anniversary celebrations in Kitgum District.

This market is part of the Markets And Agricultural Trade Improvement Programme-2 (MATIP-2), which aims to enhance economic and social infrastructure in urban markets, boost agricultural production and marketing, increase vendor incomes, generate employment, and improve customer satisfaction.

The initiative is based on a government-commissioned feasibility study from March 2008, which assessed the state of local market infrastructure across Uganda.

Kitgum Main Market is one of 12 additional markets constructed under MATIP-2, with a total cost of Shs24.55 billion (VAT inclusive).

The market boasts facilities such as fruit and vegetable stalls, matooke stalls, meat lockups, dry and fresh fish stalls, assorted lockups/shops, saloons, bulk stores, cold rooms, market administration offices, meeting and prayer rooms, as well as utility rooms, control rooms, a solar system, CCTV system, fire extinguishers, banking and SACCO facilities, parking space, and more.

MATIP-2, an expansion of MATIP-1, was officially launched in March 2016 and aims to revamp urban markets in various regions of Uganda, along with establishing value addition facilities in Arua, Busia, and Soroti.