By Spy Uganda
Government, through the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), has begun enforcing a new trade order aimed at removing unauthorised street vendors from Kampala’s central business district and restoring organised trading within designated markets.
The enforcement follows the expiry of a two-week ultimatum issued by the Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, which required vendors operating along streets and road reserves to relocate or face arrest and prosecution. By Thursday morning, several major streets in the city centre appeared unusually clear as KCCA enforcement teams moved in to implement the directive.
City authorities maintain that the exercise is not meant to deprive vendors of livelihoods but to reorganise trade and improve safety and sanitation in the city centre. KCCA Executive Director Sharifa Buzeki said more than 4,500 trading spaces have been secured in various public and private markets to accommodate affected vendors.
KCCA manages 17 public markets and supervises about 69 privately owned markets across Kampala. The authority also plans to create an additional 10,000 market spaces within the next two years to absorb growing numbers of traders.
However, early assessments suggest limited response from vendors. At Usafi Market, one of the designated relocation areas, many stalls remained vacant by Thursday morning, with market leaders reporting no formal requests from displaced traders.
The enforcement exercise also extends to commuter taxis and commercial motorcycle riders, commonly known as boda bodas, operating in ungazetted stages. Mr NuweAbine said KCCA has engaged leaders of the Uganda Federation of Transport Operators (UTOF), who have pledged to mobilise members to operate only from authorised locations.
He added that boda boda operators have already been sensitised about restricted routes, particularly within the non-motorised corridor stretching from Luwum Street to Namirembe Road. “For now, we are finalising the vendor relocation, but transport operators are also expected to comply to ensure orderly movement in the city,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Entrepreneurs and Traders Association (NETA) has expressed concern over the manner in which enforcement is being carried out, warning that the exercise could negatively affect business operations if not properly managed.
NETA president Thadeus Musoke Nagenda acknowledged frustrations among formal traders who have suffered losses due to street congestion and unfair competition but alleged that some enforcement officers irregularly allocate trading spaces for personal benefit.
Despite the concerns, the association supported efforts to restore order, noting that structured trading environments are critical for sustainable economic growth. The association urged street vendors to take up available stalls in gazetted markets and encouraged traders to adopt e-commerce and online selling platforms to expand their businesses.
“As NETA, we call for a collaborative approach in implementing trade order in Kampala,” Mr Nagenda said. “KCCA should work closely with security agencies to ensure smooth and non-violent operations.”
NETA also called on KCCA to address allegations of bribery among enforcement personnel and to engage trader bodies including the Federation of Uganda Traders Associations (FUTA), Uganda National Traders Alliance (UNATA), Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), and Uganda Traders and Entrepreneurs Association (UTEA) in developing inclusive policies.
Observers say the latest crackdown represents one of the most decisive attempts in recent years to regulate informal trade in Kampala. Previous operations have often faced resistance and gradually lost momentum. The long-term success of the initiative, analysts say, will depend on consistent enforcement, transparency, and continued dialogue between authorities and the trading community to balance urban order with protection of livelihoods.
