Kikoni Businesses Make Profit Increment As Students Return

By Benjamin Tumusiime

August 20th, 2018

Businesses around Makerere University have registered increment in sales profit as the number of students reporting increases.

The businesses around Makerere University are specifically established to serve the students at a fair and affordable prices.

However, on the 11^th August, Makerere university students began their four month academic semester with majority of them reporting to their residences inside the university halls and in areas surrounding the university. For example Kikoni, kikumkikumi and wandegeya trading center

Kikoni is one of the slums located in the West of Makerere university that has since slowly transformed due to huge numbers of students staying there. It now boasts of many high rise buildings that stand supreme to serve as students hostels.

Atwine Brenda a boutique owner dealing in women’s wear in Kikoni, says, “There is no any day when I go home without making any sales. I at least make some good money of between Shs: 100,000 to Shs: 200,000 profits. Although my biggest client is based on the students, I also target areas of residents; otherwise I end up not making any profit during the holidays due to the fact that students return to their homes.

Sam Magala, a stationery operator in the same area also says, when Makerere University and other neighboring institutions like Makerere Institute for Social Development and Multitech Business School are open; he gets a lot of clients compared to when these institutions have closed. “My main clients are students who want materials for class works and course works like ruled papers, books, pens and printing. I get a lot of customers when the semester just begins and towards examination time where by majority of the students realize that they have missing notes and so they come to  look out for stationeries to photocopy notes, to catch up with their colleagues”. The media group asked Sam magala of how much profits he makes in a day, Magala says he makes between Shs:50,000 to Shs70,000 profits but during examination periods, it can go up to Shs:100,000.