KAMPALA, Uganda — The Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Minsa Kabanda, has issued a strong warning against the resurgence of illegal street vending and other unauthorised trading activities in the capital.
In a statement released amid ongoing enforcement operations by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Kabanda said the government would take firm action against individuals who attempt to return to prohibited trading zones.
“Any attempt to return to illegal street vending, encroachment, or disorderly trade practices will be dealt with decisively,” she said.
The warning comes as KCCA intensifies operations to decongest the central business district, targeting roadside vendors and informal traders operating in undesignated areas. Authorities say the exercise is aimed at restoring order, improving sanitation, and reducing traffic congestion in the city.
KCCA officials maintain that the crackdown is part of a wider urban modernisation agenda, which seeks to ensure all business activity takes place in designated and regulated spaces. They have encouraged affected traders to relocate to gazetted markets, saying alternative trading facilities exist.
However, the enforcement drive has sparked mixed reactions. While city authorities insist the measures are necessary for urban order, some informal traders say they depend on street vending for daily survival and face challenges such as limited market space and high rental costs within formal trading areas.
Despite the concerns raised by sections of traders, Kabanda reaffirmed the government’s position, stressing that maintaining order in Kampala remains a priority and that the ongoing enforcement will continue.
The debate highlights the long-standing tension between urban regulation and informal livelihoods in Uganda’s capital, where thousands depend on street trade as their primary source of income.
