development 13 July 2026 Nile Post

Mpigi Women Traders Seek Speed Humps to Revive Underutilized KOICA Market

Women traders in Mpigi District are urging the government to install speed humps and relocate a bus stop to the Bongole Women Friendly Market, which has remained largely unused since its completion in 2023. They believe these changes are crucial to attracting customers and revitalizing the facility. Source: https://nilepost.co.ug/news/355982/bongole-women-traders-want-speed-humps-bus-stop-to-revive-idle-koica-market

Women traders in Mpigi District are calling for government intervention to make the Bongole Women Friendly Market a viable commercial hub. The market, constructed by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in 2023 with the aim of boosting livelihoods for local women, has failed to attract significant business.

The primary obstacle identified by the traders is the market’s location on a high-speed section of the Kampala-Masaka Highway. Vehicles traveling at excessive speeds make it difficult for motorists to notice, let alone stop at, the market. This poses a significant challenge for traders hoping to sell their produce to passing travelers.

Caroline Nabifo, chairperson of the Bongole Women Friendly Market, highlighted the safety concerns as well. “Vehicles pass here at very high speed,” she stated, adding that the market’s position on a slope exacerbates the problem. The traders also live in fear of accidents, with one recent incident involving a vehicle veering off the road and damaging market stalls, underscoring the potential danger to life.

To address these issues, the women are requesting the installation of speed humps near the market. They believe this measure would compel drivers to slow down, increasing visibility and the likelihood of stopping to make purchases. “If speed humps are installed here, motorists will reduce their speed, notice the market and some of them will stop to buy from us,” Nabifo explained.

Furthermore, the traders have appealed for the relocation of the long-distance bus stopover from Buwama Town to the Bongole market. The market was equipped with amenities like parking and restrooms, intended to encourage stopovers, but these facilities remain underutilized. Relocating the bus stop, they argue, would bring a consistent flow of potential customers and allow the market to fulfill its intended purpose.

Without these interventions, the full potential of the KOICA-funded market to improve household incomes through agriculture and trade remains largely unrealized.