Police fires bullets to disperse women protesting lack of toilets in a market

Drama ensued in Kalongo Town Council in Agago District on Wednesday morning when Police fired live bullets to disperse a group of women working from Kalongo market who were protesting the closure of their toilets for 2 years now.

The women who claim to be fed up with the filth and risk of contracting deadly diseases, marched in protest from the market site and pitched camp at the Town Council headquarters demanding for an answer from the Town clerk and the LCIII chairperson.

They noted that the town council officials closed down a toilet at the market for 2 years now leaving hundreds of vendors and buyers who throng the market with no place of convenience.

David Olweny, the Officer in Charge of Kalongo Police Station, says the vendors were dispersed because they had turned rowdy.
According to Charles Oringa the Chairperson Kalongo market vendors, lack of toilets in the market has negatively impacted on their sales, forcing some vendors to abandon business due to inconveniences

However, Kalongo Town Council Town Clerk Peter Obwor argues that toilets at the market were closed because the vendors failed to maintain hygiene, sparking concerns of spread of hygiene related diseases.

He added that they are working on ways of opening the market toilets next week but cautioned vendors to take up responsibility of maintaining it clean.