Traders operating at Ham Kiggundu’s Nakivubo Mall in Kampala are expressing frustration and financial distress following a reported Shs500,000 increase in monthly charges, which has left some struggling to keep their businesses running.
The traders say the new charges were communicated to them after six months of operation, with management reportedly demanding immediate payment of the additional amount or risk having their shops locked.
According to the affected traders, the increment comprises Shs200,000 for maintenance and Shs300,000 for electricity, with the electricity charge reportedly introduced because the shops do not have individual Yaka meters.
Some traders who failed to raise the additional money have reportedly had their shops closed for several days, leaving them unable to serve customers or generate income.
The situation has heightened anxiety among business owners, many of whom say they invested more than Shs50 million to establish their businesses at the mall, hoping to recover their investments through sales.
However, the traders claim that six months after opening their shops, some have yet to make any profits despite paying monthly rent ranging between Shs4 million and Shs9 million.
They say the additional Shs500,000 has placed further pressure on their already struggling businesses, with some fearing that continued increases in operational costs could force them out of business.
The traders are now facing uncertainty over their investments, arguing that being locked out of their shops makes it even harder to recover the millions of shillings spent setting up their businesses.
They are calling for reconsideration of the additional charges and a more favourable arrangement that takes into account the financial challenges facing businesses at the mall.
The mall management’s response to the traders’ complaints had not been established by the time of publication.
