Avenues for Stakeholder Participation in the Effective Management of Public Markets in Urban Areas: A Case Study of Kabale and Mbarara Central Markets

Abstract

This study examines the avenues for stakeholder participation in the effective management of public markets in urban areas, specifically the Kabale and Mbarara Central Markets in Uganda. Communication is regarded as the foundation for the involvement facilitated by the availability of communication channels, inclusive engagement strategies, and capacity building. Despite interventions by jurisdictional authorities of these markets, governance problems persist, largely due to inadequate stakeholder engagement, ineffective communication, and unproductive participation practices. The new systems in redeveloped urban markets, such as in-built public address systems, frameworks for electing section heads and market leaders, and ministry guidelines, have not significantly resolved these governance issues. The study investigates these dynamics by exploring how challenges with the avenues for stakeholder participation affect the markets governance in urban areas with the aid of questionnaires and interviews with vendors, market leaders and the local authorities. The findings indicate that whereas vendors access contact information for market leaders and authorities through a variety of communication options, participation avenues such as market meetings and workshops remain low, suggesting that current communication methods may not effectively foster vendor engagement, possibly due to insufficient outreach. The study identifies deficiencies noting that while communication occurs, it is not fully comprehensive owing to limited capacity-building for meaningful, two-way communication. The study advocates for implementation of a multisource communication system, integration of quarterly stakeholder forums into management planning, prioritizing periodic briefings for vendors on various technical and non-technical subjects, and fostering accountability among their section leaders including regularly demanding feedback.