Terms of Service

Effective date: July 2026 · Public Market is a product of Mpabaisi Technologies

            Please read these Terms carefully. By creating an account or using Public Market you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the platform.
        

1. About Public Market

Public Market is an online marketplace operated by Mpabaisi Technologies, a company registered in Uganda. The platform connects buyers with verified shops located in malls, arcades, and commercial buildings across East Africa. Public Market provides the technology and infrastructure that enables these transactions; it is not a party to any sale, purchase, or contract between buyers and sellers unless expressly stated.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age, or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, to use Public Market. By registering, you represent and warrant that all information you provide is accurate, current, and complete.

3. Accounts

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials.
You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
You must notify us immediately at support@publicmarket.com if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or remain inactive for an extended period.

4. Shop Owners and Sellers

By registering a shop on Public Market, you agree to:

Provide accurate and complete information about your shop, products, and services.
Ensure that all listed products and services are legal and comply with applicable Ugandan and East African laws and regulations.
Honour confirmed orders and fulfil them in a timely and professional manner.
Not list counterfeit, prohibited, or stolen goods.
Set fair and accurate prices. Prices displayed must include all applicable taxes unless clearly stated otherwise.
Respond to buyer messages and disputes in good faith and within a reasonable time.
Maintain sufficient stock or clearly indicate when items are out of stock.
Comply with any subscription plan terms applicable to your shop tier.

Mpabaisi Technologies reserves the right to remove any product listing, suspend a shop, or permanently deactivate a seller account for violations of these Terms, without prior notice where the violation is serious.

5. Buyers

As a buyer on Public Market, you agree to:

Provide accurate delivery information when placing an order.
Make payment through the approved payment methods available on the platform.
Not file false or fraudulent disputes or chargebacks.
Treat sellers and Public Market staff with respect in all communications.
Not attempt to conduct transactions outside the platform to circumvent fees or protections.

6. Orders and Payments

An order is confirmed when you receive a confirmation notification and/or reference number.
Payments are processed by Pesapal. By making a payment, you also agree to Pesapal's terms of service.
Public Market may collect a platform fee or delivery fee on certain orders; these will be clearly disclosed before you confirm an order.
Prices are displayed in the currency selected by the seller (default: UGX). Currency conversion, where applicable, is the buyer's responsibility.
In the event of a payment failure, the order will not be confirmed until payment is successfully received.

7. Delivery

Pickup — The buyer collects the order directly from the shop.
Self-delivery — The seller arranges their own delivery to the buyer.
Public Market Delivery — Where available, Mpabaisi Technologies facilitates delivery through its own logistics network. A delivery fee applies and will be invoiced separately. Delivery timeframes are estimates only.

Public Market is not liable for delays caused by third-party logistics providers, incorrect delivery addresses provided by the buyer, or circumstances beyond our reasonable control (force majeure).

8. Cancellations and Refunds

Buyers may cancel an order before the seller has confirmed or begun processing it.
Once an order is in processing, ready, or shipped status, cancellation is at the seller's discretion.
Refunds are negotiated between the buyer and seller. Public Market may facilitate dispute resolution but does not guarantee refunds.
Digital goods and services that have already been delivered are non-refundable unless the seller has a stated policy to the contrary.

9. Prohibited Conduct

You must not use Public Market to:

Sell or purchase illegal goods or services, including counterfeit products, weapons, drugs, or stolen property.
Harass, threaten, or abuse other users.
Post false reviews, spam, or misleading content.
Attempt to hack, scrape, or disrupt the platform or its infrastructure.
Impersonate another person or entity.
Use the platform for money laundering or any financial crime.
Upload malicious code, viruses, or any harmful content.

10. User-Generated Content

By posting content on Public Market — including product listings, images, videos, reviews, and comments — you grant Mpabaisi Technologies a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to display, distribute, and use that content in connection with the operation and promotion of the platform.

You retain ownership of your content. You are solely responsible for ensuring that content you post does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or applicable laws.

11. Intellectual Property

The Public Market name, logo, design, software, and all related materials are the intellectual property of Mpabaisi Technologies. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any part of the platform without our prior written consent.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Mpabaisi Technologies and its directors, employees, and agents shall not be liable for:

Any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the platform.
Loss of profits, revenue, data, or goodwill.
Transactions conducted between buyers and sellers, including disputes, non-delivery, or product quality issues.
Downtime, technical errors, or interruption of service.

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from use of Public Market shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to Mpabaisi Technologies in the six (6) months preceding the claim.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Mpabaisi Technologies and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your violation of these Terms or your use of the platform.

14. Termination

You may close your account at any time by contacting us at support@publicmarket.com. We may suspend or terminate your access to Public Market at our sole discretion, with or without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is harmful to other users, us, or third parties.

15. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Uganda. Any disputes arising from or relating to these Terms shall first be attempted to be resolved through good-faith negotiation. If unresolved, disputes shall be submitted to the jurisdiction of the courts of Kampala, Uganda.

16. Changes to These Terms

Mpabaisi Technologies reserves the right to update these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will notify you via email or an in-app notification at least seven (7) days before the changes take effect. Continued use of Public Market after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

17. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms or the platform, please reach out to:

Company: Mpabaisi Technologies
Product: Public Market
Email: support@publicmarket.com
Location: Kampala, Uganda