Africa-Press – Uganda. Street vendors operating on different roads in Kampala have appealed to city authorities to halt ongoing evictions, extend the deadline to vacate the streets, and instead provide designated spaces where they can operate legally.
The vendors are proposing arrangements similar to those that existed during the tenure of former KCCA Executive Director Jennifer Musisi, including the reinstatement of structured trading platforms such as the Sunday Market and regulated evening markets.
They say they are willing to pay affordable taxes and licensing fees if allowed to work within an organized framework.
Last week, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) issued a two-week ultimatum ordering street vendors to vacate all city streets where they have been operating. The directive has left many traders anxious about their livelihoods and uncertain about relocation options.
At a press conference in Kampala, vendors — including those operating in various city taxi parks — said enforcement operations have already disrupted their businesses and pushed many into financial distress.
They warned that removing them without clear alternatives risks worsening unemployment and forcing some into unlawful survival tactics.
Led by their representative, Brian Semanda, the vendors formally asked city leaders to extend the eviction deadline as authorities work toward a sustainable solution.
“We request KCCA to give us more time to leave the streets as they look for a permanent solution for us,” Semanda said.
They also proposed that KCCA issue licenses allowing them to operate on less congested streets with minimal permanent structures, arguing that regulated street trading could coexist with city order if properly managed.
“We are ready to work legally and even pay small taxes as long as we are given space to operate,” one vendor said.
Several traders said street vending has been their sole source of income for years and that a two-week deadline is too short to secure stalls in formal markets, where rent and operational costs are often beyond their means.
They further accused KCCA enforcement officers of harassment, arrests, confiscation of goods, and fast-tracking them to court despite operating with minimal capital.
“They arrest us, confiscate our goods, and take us to court yet we have very little capital. This has caused us heavy losses,” another vendor said.
The vendors submitted a petition to the chairperson of the Federation of Uganda Traders Association (FUTA), John Kabanda, seeking institutional support in engaging government on their concerns.
Receiving the petition, Kabanda assured them that FUTA would take up the matter with relevant authorities.
“We are going to follow up this issue with the relevant authorities so that street vendors can get a fair solution,” Kabanda said.
Kabanda also revealed plans to meet Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja to discuss the matter and explore long-term interventions.
“We shall engage the Prime Minister and other leaders to find a lasting solution to this matter. I ask the vendors to remain calm as we handle the issue,” he added.
The appeal comes amid renewed enforcement efforts aimed at restoring order in Kampala’s central business district, a longstanding challenge that has often pitted informal traders against city authorities.
