ARUA CITY’S NEW LIVESTOCK MARKET SPARKS HOPE FOR JOBS AND REVENUE

The site for the regional livestock market next to Okaiva River, Kova Cell, and Kati Ward is currently undergoing development before full operationalization. (All Photos by Onzoma Albert)

By Onzoma Albert

Arua City

The local leaders in Kova Cell, Kati Ward, Ayivu West Division in Arua City, have welcomed the new regional livestock market with optimism, anticipating job creation and increased local revenue.

However, immediate operational challenges arise from strict regional animal movement restrictions and ongoing quarantines.

The West Nile Livestock Traders Association is actively developing the market by constructing sanitary facilities, clearing and fencing the site, coordinating necessary documentation with Ayivu Division and Arua City authorities, and planning to sign Memorandums of Understanding with livestock traders’ associations from other regions before the market becomes fully operational.

Stephen Agata, the Local Council 2 Chairman of Kati Ward, expressed gratitude to the West Nile Livestock Traders Association and the government of Uganda for establishing the market in his ward, noting that it has transformed the area into a trading hub and is generating both direct and indirect employment opportunities for young people locally.

“This facility will give us a lot of opportunities especially to the youths who have been idle like this morning many of them were engaged in loading and offloading animals where they were able to get money, then this market will also give an opportunity to our women who are around here like if you observe around some women are already selling tea, sugarcane and others are engaged in other businesses” he said.

Youths in the area are busy loading animals into tri-cycle for traders

Joyce Anderu, Principal Town Agent of Kati Ward, projects that the facility will enhance local revenue through market dues and the stimulation of commercial activities within the market.

“We are very grateful to welcome this investment in Kati Ward and this is really a great opportunity for both Ayivu Division and Arua City to enhance local revenue, this is a great opportunity for our locals around the market as well to market their animals at least at a fair and reasonable price” she said.

Patrick Okiror Adrabo, Chairperson of the West Nile Livestock Traders Association, emphasized that the market was created to professionalize livestock trade in the region, benefiting traders, the people of West Nile, the government through increased local revenue, and the regional business community.

“West Nile region is strategically located for livestock trade and we want to organize and make the trade more professional by making sure that traders from regions such as Acholi, Lango, Karamoja, Sebei and other regions bring their animals here in the market and then sell to our local traders in the region who will then be the ones to sell to the Congolese and Sudanese Traders themselves so as to have a professional way of dealing in the livestock trade” he said.

The market also aims to regulate the livestock trade, reduce disease outbreaks, and curb theft by monitoring animal movements at established checkpoints in Pakwach and Bondo.

Serving as the central offloading and trading point for West Nile sub-region livestock, the market currently faces constraints due to ongoing disease control measures.

Strict quarantines and enforcement actions by security forces and the UPDF have led to the impoundment of livestock trucks, limiting transit to the site.

West Nile livestock traders source animals from other Ugandan regions like Acholi, Teso, Karamoja, and Lango, selling them in local markets and across the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo.

This new market aims to streamline this trade while enhancing economic opportunities and disease control for the region.