Street vendors and Hawkers have woken up to a painful Monday morning as Kampala Capital City Authority officials and Police mounted intense operations in a bid to prevent them from doing business on the city streets.
This follows an immediate directive given by State Minister for Kampala Metropolitan Area Kabuye Kyofatogabye (son to NRA bush war historical)over the weekendordering all street vendors and hawkers to go and operate at USAFI Market but not on lanes road sides and Street. “I want all vendors to go and operate in designated areas not the streets where they are causing congestion,” the Minister told media. “We are taking initiatives to decongest the city and we all agreed with KCCA that vendors should go off the streets,” he added.
Those that have been persisting have been arrested by the authorities and taken to City hall where they will be charged for disobedience.
Vendors speak out
“They are telling us to go to the market without establishing what procedures we have to follow to get space,” Aceng, a sim sim vendor along Kampala road says. “We are already constrained by the economic challenges. Why is the Minister not caring about the fact that our business is mobilie. We have to look for the buyers and these buyers are only on streets,” she adds.
“I will not go to any market. Let them arrest me if they wish,” vows Namubiru Annet, a street vendor at clock tower Kampala. “I have been here for over 10 years and I will not leave. My business cannot flourish if I cofine myself in the market,” she adds.
