Authorities in Rumbek municipal council have ordered the relocation of informal, tax-exempt women vegetable vendors from roadside areas to a new designated site in the southern part of Rumbek market, officials said.
The relocation exercise began on Thursday as part of efforts to decongest the main market and improve pedestrian and vehicle movement.
Rumbek town mayor Kuol Mathubier told Radio Tamazuj that the decision followed concerns over traders occupying roadsides, which had caused inconvenience to the public.
“In Rumbek municipal market we have women who sell vegetables and other foodstuffs, and they have been relocated to a new place in the southern part of the market so that they can continue their businesses there,” he said.
“Previously, they used to sit on the road which caused inconvenience for pedestrians and vehicles. We identified the problem and allocated them a space,” he added.
Mathubier noted that the new site is currently an open area and vulnerable to rain, but said the municipality is working on improvements.
“The challenge now is that the space is open, and when it rains it will affect them,” he said. “We are working to improve their conditions by putting up shelters.”
He said discussions had been held with the local chamber of commerce to support construction of temporary shelters.
“Last month I spoke to the chairperson of the chamber of commerce, who agreed to help erect shelters for these women. The cost will be recovered gradually through instalments,” he said.
The mayor added that the municipal council does not charge taxes on basic food items sold by small-scale vendors, including vegetables, milk, fish and groundnuts.
“These traders are engaged in subsistence business. They sell to feed their families, not for profit in the commercial sense,” he said. “As government, our responsibility is to facilitate them so they can sustain their livelihoods.”
He said only limited public health-related fees are collected, such as medical screening for food handlers.
Mathubier also said market space in Rumbek is under pressure due to population growth and increasing commercial activity.
“According to the 2008 census, the population was much smaller. Today it has increased significantly, possibly by more than 30 percent,” he said. “We have about 1,000 shops, but space is limited and in many cases three to five people share one shop.”
He said authorities have designated additional markets in residential areas such as Chumcok and Akuac, but many traders prefer the main market due to higher customer traffic.
“People come to the main market because they want their goods to be sold quickly,” he said.
A vegetable vendor, Akol Marial, said she and others were not being taxed by the municipal council and welcomed the relocation despite challenges.
“Since taxes were exempted, it has helped me. My children are able to get food and treatment,” she said. “If the municipal council can provide shelters, we will be very grateful. Our main challenge is rain.”
Tea seller Yar Dongrin said traders had been temporarily moved into vacant shops and were awaiting further instructions from authorities.
“When shop owners return, we will remove our items and move to another place designated by the government,” she said. “We just move with our kettles for tea making. Right now, we are exposed to the sun, and even my shelter has no proper roof.”
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