Kampala, Uganda — The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) enforcement team, working alongside the Uganda Police Force, has stepped up operations to enforce a newly introduced trade order by seizing property from traders who were selling goods outside their shop premises in Kampala.
Under the drive to restore order in the city’s business districts, enforcement officers confiscated merchandise from several individuals found displaying and selling items on sidewalks and other unauthorised spaces. One notable case involved a carpet seller whose merchandise was placed at the entrance gate of a building he rents. Despite being advised to remove the items, the vendor defied the directive, leading to the confiscation of his goods by enforcement officers.
The clampdown is part of a broader effort that began last Thursday with the eviction of street vendors, aiming to clear pedestrian walkways, improve traffic flow, and push traders into gazetted markets and licensed trading spaces. City authorities have insisted that vendors trading along roadsides and pavements must move into formal locations or risk losing their merchandise.
However, several reports indicate that some vendors have already returned to the streets following their eviction, continuing to trade informally despite the orders to relocate. The persistence of traders in reclaiming public spaces underscores the ongoing tensions between informal sector livelihoods and urban regulatory measures.
KCCA’s enforcement actions follow repeated warnings from government officials that street vending along major city roads and junctions would no longer be tolerated without compliance with licensing and location rules. Vendors were earlier encouraged to move into free stalls made available across markets such as Usafi, Busaga, Owino, and Wandegeya, though many traders argued that the spaces were inadequate or poorly located.
City authorities maintain that clearing the streets of unregulated trade will restore sanity to Kampala’s central business district and promote a safer, more orderly urban environment for both formal businesses and residents.
The enforcement operation continues, with KCCA and police urging traders to comply with the trade order or face further action.
