By Denis Opoka
Kitgum
Only a few traders use Labongo Akwang Livestock Market in Kitgum district, two months after its commissioning.
Construction of the livestock market started in 2017/2018 and ended in the 2022/2023 financial year using shs240m in locally raised revenue.
Alfred Omony, the Kitgum District Production Officer, revealed that since it’s commissioning on October 30, 2023, several approaches were put in place to attract animal traders to the weekly market, without much success.
“Among some approaches we put in place to attract the animal traders to this market was waiving off revenue collection at the gate for those traders who will bring their livestock for sale for about one month,” he explained.
Currently, a trader pays shs10,000 and shs5,000 for each goat and sheep sold at the market, the district has projected to collect over shs5m monthly from this livestock market.
Omony called on the traders in the district and the sub-region to utilize the opportunity to sell and buy livestock from the new market, saying it is near and will save them transport to the livestock market in the Lango sub-region.
Traders voice concerns
Willy Opwonya, a livestock seller from Pamolo Central Village in Labongo Layamo Sub County, argued that livestock sellers are shunning the market because of few buyers.
“How can you take your livestock for sale where it will not be bought yet you have spent some money to bring the animals to that place?” Opwonya asked.
Opwonya said the inadequate number of buyers at this livestock market could also be because of few traders who know about the market.
“Kitgum district local government must do more to ensure the market is popularized to attract more traders and buyers so that the market picks up smoothly,” he said.
The Labongo Akwang Livestock Market targets livestock traders from East and West Acholi, Lango, and Teso Sub-regions, and from as far as neighboring South Sudan.
Irene Ayaa, a cattle buyer, said some animals sold at the market are small but very expensive compared to other livestock markets in other regions.
On a visit to Labongo Akwang livestock market by this reporter, the price of cattle ranges from shs800,000 to shs2.4m, goats from shs120,000 to shs280,000, while sheep from shs150,000 to shs300,000.
Comparing Amach livestock market located Lango sub-region, Ayaa cited that the animals are cheaper, which makes other buyers prefer the market in Lango.
Arwai Christopher Obol, the Kitgum District Chairperson, said the district leaders are doing whatever it takes to popularize the new livestock market to attract more traders.
“We are using available mediums to popularize this market to all parts of the country and the neighboring South Sudan,” Arwai said.
Low local revenue collections
Data from the Marketing and Production Department of Kitgum District Local Government shows that 117 heads of cattle, four goats, and four sheep have been taken to the market since commissioning. Of these, only 60 heads of cattle, a goat, and a sheep were bought within the same period.
The establishment of Labongo Akwang Livestock market is being seen as a potential source of revenue base for the district.
The Labongo Akwang Livestock market in Labongo Akwang sub-county is situated six Kilometers from Kitgum Municipality along Kitgum-Palabek-Atiak road. It is the only livestock market in the entire East Acholi that runs on Monday every week.
In the last financial year 2022/2023, Kitgum district projected to collect over shs300m as Locally Raised Revenue, however only over shs150m was realized, and this according to Arwai has been due to inadequate mobilization of revenue collection by the lower local leaders.
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