Economic Gender Parity in the Informal Sector: A Case of the Kiko Market, Mukono Municipality
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Date
2026-05-28
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Uganda Christian University
Abstract
The study examined economic gender parity in the informal sector with specific focus on Kiko
Market, Mukono Municipality, Uganda. The study was guided by three specific objectives: to
compare physical market placement between men and women vendors in terms of the type of
operating space secured; to measure inventory turnover rates as a sales performance indicator
by comparing how frequently men and women vendors restocked their primary trade
commodities per week; and to assess tangible business growth by determining the proportion
of men and women vendors who expanded their product lines within the past twelve months.
The study adopted a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design. A sample of 375 respondents
was drawn from a total vendor population of 2,500 using stratified random sampling
proportional to gender composition. Primary data were collected using a structured
questionnaire administered via Google Forms. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics,
chi-square tests of association, independent samples t-tests, and Pearson correlation analysis
using SPSS Version 26.
Findings on physical market placement revealed a profound and statistically significant
disparity: 70.8% of male vendors occupied permanent lock-up stalls compared to only 6.1% of
women, while 42.9% of women traded in open ground or unshaded areas compared to 0% of
men (χ² = 189.391, p < 0.001). Findings on inventory turnover revealed a directional gap in
weekly restocking frequency with male vendors recording a higher mean score (3.22) than
women (2.78), though the difference did not reach statistical significance at the 0.05 level (t =
-1.671, p = 0.096). Structural Likert-scale items revealed that women experienced significantly
higher working capital constraints (mean = 4.48 vs. 2.00 for men) and time poverty from
domestic labour (mean = 4.47 vs. 1.56 for men). Findings on product diversification revealed
the largest gender gap: 66.9% of male vendors expanded their product lines in the past twelve
months compared to only 19.2% of women (χ²(1) = 82.223, p < 0.001). Correlation analysis
identified significant relationships between stall equity and diversification (r = .447, p < .001),
working capital constraints and diversification (r = -.442, p < .001), and time poverty and
diversification (r = -.460, p < .001).
The study concluded that significant, structural, and statistically robust economic gender
disparities existed at Kiko Market across all three dimensions. The study recommended that
Mukono Municipal Council should prioritise construction of affordable permanent stalls with
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transparent gender-responsive allocation guidelines; Village Savings and Loan Association
(VSLA) credit histories should be linked to formal financial systems; gender-targeted financial
literacy training should be established for female vendors; and enforceable stall allocation
guidelines should be developed and implemented at the municipal level.
Description
Undergraduate