The victims of mid this year Yei main market fire have decried the delay in the government’s compensation.
An estimated over US$200,000 worth of goods were burnt to ashes at the Dar-es-Salaam market, leaving many traders in hopelessness. However, the government’s promise to support the traders to restart their businesses has not been forthcoming.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, a victim, Stephen Yakani, said they heard that about SSP50 million compensation was promised by the Central Equatorial State (CES) but had not been delivered, yet they could barely pay their children’s school fees and feed them.
“The government did not help us in renovating the market, forcing us to use the money that we had saved to pay our children’s school fees,” said Yakani.
Grace Oliver Siama who lost her fish business said, no one from the government had supported them even with the renovation of the market.
Anga Elisa Panuel urged the government and the development partners to support the traders since many of them remained at home due to lack of the start-up capital.
“I am urging the government to help us because since we repaired the market, many people have not started their businesses because their money and many goods got burnt,” she said.
Yei River County Chamber of Commerce Chairperson Justin Luate said the Central Equatoria Governor had pledged SSP50 million to the victims of the fire and that they were following up with the commissioner.
“When the CES governor visited Yei recently, he pledged SSP50 million to the traders who lost their goods to the fire. We are waiting for the release of the money so that it can be given to the victims based on the loses they incurred,” he said.
Dar-es-Salaam is the main market in Yei River County.