Every Tuesday, the Mukono Municipality Kyikko Market attracts numerous traders because it is the open day when they are allowed to sell from any part of the market, even within the road. This leads to an influx of shoppers especially those intent on getting low cost deals for products.
I got a chance to walk through the market and was astounded by what I saw and experienced. It was so humbling an experience that further explained to me why despite the numerous cries of money being lost in the country, people are still surviving.
“Nkumi bbiri skirt, Lukumi blouse, Lukumi nicker, Lukumi akaleega!!” (Two thousand a skirt, One thousand a blouse, One thousand a nicker, One thousand Bra). I could hardly believe my ears. Basically with 5,000/= (1.5 dollars), a lady can get dressed fully from head to toe. This forced me to take a closer look and indeed realised that it was not a joke.
This led me to straddle across the entire stretch of the market and without doubt, most products being sold were in the sub 10,000/= range. I realised why there is always a beehive of activity around that market each Tuesday.
As an entrepreneur, I was amazed by the opportunity numerous Ugandans are getting at the bottom of the pyramid to etch a living in a legit manner while addressing the needs of society.
My mind raced down memory lane and recalled the time the president made a declaration that he had banned the importation of second hand clothes.
He did this probably as a result of complaints by local manufacturers who want a fair share of the apparel market in the country. Putting on the cloak of a Government Official, I agree with the declaration since it will allow the money spent by customers to support the country directly through the ripple effect of employment and tax payment by manufacturers and the various supply chain players.
However, devoid of that cloak, I want to point out something to His Excellency based on what I saw in the market. It does not matter how well you wish for Ugandans to upgrade their lifestyles and graduate from patronising second hand clothes to the brand new ones, there are certain things that need to come first.
One of those primary requirements is addressing the paltry income levels of the citizens. While the ability to survive in Uganda is much higher than in many countries with higher income levels, it is largely a result of the social structural setting that enables one to access some food however basic, as well as often times clothing and accommodation from the network of relatives that our cultural setup espouses.
Issues start getting complicated when we have to part with money to access products or services and that is when you realise that effective demand is very low. There is a need to be sincere about how low people’s incomes have sunk in relation to how high the cost of living keeps rising every other day.
With programs like PDM if well executed, we as a country should be able to raise the income levels of the majority at the bottom of the pyramid hence increasing the effective demand for the kind of products that the President wants us to consume in order to grow the economy.
So, each time you see an impeccably dressed Ugandan, chances are high that the worth of their entire attire is hardly over 30,000/= (Approx USD 8)
My two pence.
James Wire
X – @wirejames
Threads – @wire_james
The Wire Perspective 