Traders operating from Soroti main market in Soroti City have asked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to intervene and reduce the high cost of monthly rent they are paying.

President Museveni is due to tour the Teso sub-region to assess the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM) and also conduct wealth creation mobilization in the region.

On Sunday, a Nexus reporter toured the market and established that several rooms have been left vacant due to the high cost of rent being charged to the vendors.

Jackson Oriokot, an electronic shop operator, said they are currently paying between Shs250, 000 and Sh300, 000 depending on your land lord.

Oriokot revealed that several rooms and stalls at the Soroti Market were allocated to those he termed the “power holders,” yet they don’t operate in the market.

Josephine Akunu, a saloon operator, wants President Museveni to ensure that the rooms and stalls in the market are allocated to the rightful beneficiaries but not middlemen.

“These middlemen who are our landlords are overcharging us. Imagine they pay less than Shs100, 000 to Soroti City Council as the user fee yet they have continued to charge expensively,” Akunu said.

She appealed to President Museveni to ensure that the ordinary people whose livelihoods depend entirely on the markets are the ones made full beneficiaries but not middlemen.

Joseph Opolot, a produce dealer, said the powerful, mainly local councilors and other leaders, including those holding high government offices, are the ones who were allocated several rooms and stalls in the market.

The vendors also want President Museveni to resolve the electricity power problem, which they say is being used as a conduit by the city council to extort money from them.

President Museveni is expected to address local leaders from the Teso sub-region on Monday, November 18^th, 2024, at Soroti Boma Grounds regarding wealth creation strategies before embarking on the tour to assess the implementation of PDM.