Uganda is a developing country in the third world. It is located in the Eastern Province of Africa known as East Africa. Uganda’s economy is based on the agricultural sector where by most products on the market are agro-based products followed by others. The agro based products dominate the market for the low level Ugandans like myself. The agro- based products on the market include; beans, rice, maize, matooke, tomatoes, cassava, irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbages, green vegetables, yams etc. the prices for these produces ranges from 500-2000/= a kilo and Matooke costs 6000-8000/= a full bunch. Cassava to potatoes costs from 1000/= to 3000/= per each heap. Even though the prices are not so high but you find many low level Ugandans like me bargaining to get the enough of what you need or to have a price reduced because like now if I can get 2000 or 3000/= in a day how am I going to survive? It means I will use the money I get from salary carefully till it runs up to a full month and sometimes that money stops a quarter way of a full month. Surviving in Uganda is so hard and you can thank God when you have a small garden around home to grow some crops and fruits.
Markets for these products are almost everywhere around the city and though the City Council banned street vendoring, vendors still flock the streets and the main problem they face is capturing their produces by the City Council officials when caught. Secondly prices are high and the competition is very high so it even forces some vendors to leave the markets to come on the streets and target a chance for a day’s income.
Other products on the streets sold by these vendors include; plastics, toys for children, electronics, music cassettes, DVD’s, used clothes, used bags, umbrellas and kitchen utencils, electrical appliances,
I cannot forget the fruits; the some people sell fruits from the streets to shops and supermarkets and even offices where you are allowed to enter when called by someone who wants to buy from you. Fruits sold by these people include; bananas, mangoes, guavas, oranges, passion fruits, jack fruit, sugarcane and apples. One vendor can walk almost two miles and end up selling fruits worth 2000/= and its on the same money you have to get a new stock so life becomes so hard which has forced some young ladies to sell their bodies on the street corners for money. Having failed in life many young women flock the bars and do prostitution charging 2000/= to 3000/= even when they know that AIDS kills. Young men are playing games during the day and in the night steal because of the hard life we are going through. I am lucky to be a born again Christian because am also going through a difficult life with myself, Angela and Daniel and again my mothers asks me for some financial help when I can’t even support her. Sometimes I ask myself why God has divided us and made some rich and others poor. There are few privilledged Ugandans. Many of us are even sleeping badly, on old bedsheets torn and torn blankets. Myself I don’t allow people to enter my room till I will buy somethings and even buy some bedsheets, blanket and curtain. I have hope in the Lord that things will change someday. I pity others also because there are so many who are even worse.
The survival of we low level Ugandans lie mostly in created jobs like vendoring and projects to crop growing etc. Some people only need capital but a lot can be done. Others make chapattis and charge each chapatti 200/. The common meal for the low level Ugandans is chapatti and beans then a cup of tea finishing a cost of 600/.
I myself buy clothes from the vendors on the street just like the people of my class because I cannot afford a trouser of 15,000 or a shirt of 20,000/= which is new. The shoes also cost 20,000/= to 40,000/=.
That’s all about the Vendors, Street business and life we’re going through we low level Ugandans.
Comments are welcome.
God bless you all.
Pastor Lincoln Joel Ns
