The Mpondwe-Lhubiriha fish market in Kasese District has officially reopened, more than three years after it was closed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The market, located near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), was initially shut down to prevent the further spread of the virus.
Prior to its closure, the Mpondwe-Lhubiriha market was a major cross-border trade hub, dealing in fish from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and Sudan. However, during its closure, DRC traders established their own fish market, which began to handle the fish trade previously dominated by Uganda.
On Tuesday, Lt. Col. Mercy Tukahirwa, the commander of the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU), announced the reopening, highlighting the government’s construction of a multi-billion One Border Post Market. She emphasized the importance of utilizing such facilities to their full potential, reiterating the government’s commitment to enhancing the economic standards of the local population through trade.
Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Clerk Moses Mugisa expressed optimism about the market’s reopening. He revealed that the town council had been losing close to 600 million Shillings annually due to the suspension of the fish trade and anticipated significant benefits for the local community in terms of job creation and tax revenue for the government.
The reopening of the Mpondwe-Lhubiriha market is expected to alleviate these issues and restore favorable trading conditions.
The reopening of the Mpondwe-Lhubiriha fish market is a significant development for the region, promising to rejuvenate the local economy and strengthen cross-border trade ties.
Comments are closed.