Owino's History

For the implementation strategy of my project, I have been looking into the historical physical development of Owino.

The Map below is from Christopher Gombay's 1995 PHD Thesis 'Eating Cities: The Politics of Everyday Life in Kampala,Uganda'

''Map 3 below presents a layout of Owino market as it stood in 1992, pp. 151

The timeline below is developed from conversations with three older leaders in the market. Some points were agreed upon by the individuals but in many cases there were also contradictions (usually regarding ownership)

Timeline of management and development of market:

1971

Started from with Vendors moving from Nakasero

either A man named Owino was selling stolen goods on land of current Owino and he was killed for stealing around the time vendors were looking for a new trading space

or A man named Owino was found roasting at selling maize on the land

President Amin gave them 2.5 Acres of land named 'Owino' market' and it was gazetted as the 'Inner Zone' for 300 People, built using papyrus

The market had parking and offloading areas - these were slowly encroached by 'temporary traders' until they also became permanent trading spaces

Zones : inner zone (closest to road, wealthiest vendors, paved, gated)/ Central Zone / Garment Zone/ Soweto Zone (least developed)

1986

KCC (council) leave management of market to vendors / Vendors association given 15 year temporary lease

(during 80's vendors empowered by state directive to develop/manage their market)

1992

President visits the market and sees need for redevelopment; government seeks to acquire a loan from the World Bank

1995 - 1997

Urban Adjustment era - New market built with World Bank loan

to empwoer vendors only sheds and key spaces built other lock up shops/services built by vendors themselves

Market shifts from GRADE 0 (open air payrus built market) to GRADE 2 (why? Rain, leakages, not cemented etc) with 8 Zones and 110 Sheds

(World Bank advised the Govt. to enlarge market with surrounding land)

2003 - 2006 Management of market asks for 10,000 UGX (£2) from each vendor to buy lease of land permanently; money retrieved insufficient

2010

Proposed redevelopment of market led by management team (SSLOA) as client

meanwhile ... Loan received to buy the land titles titles

Second loan received to buy resettlement land

2015

Full land titles bought and handed over from KCCA to SSLOA