Headline: Kampala Cleanup Yields Orderly Streets and a Controversy Over URA’s Exempted Container
Kampala, Uganda – A sweeping overnight operation by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has transformed the city’s central business district, clearing sidewalks and roadsides of kiosks and illegal stalls. While the move has been celebrated by residents for creating orderly pavements and easing congestion, it has also ignited a heated debate over selective enforcement after a Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) shipping container was left untouched.
The operation, which began late Thursday night, saw enforcement teams dismantle numerous structures that had encroached on public walkways. According to KCCA, over 2,500 vendors have been offered alternative spaces in designated markets such as Usafa and Nakawa, with priority given to women, youth, and people with disabilities.
However, the crackdown’s consistency was called into question when a large shipping container serving as a URA tax office remained in place amid the cleared surroundings. The visual disparity prompted swift criticism from prominent journalist Sudhir Byaruhanga, who took to social media to challenge the authority.
“You cannot sweep a compound and heap the rubbish in the middle of it,” Byaruhanga posted. He argued that the tax body, having sufficient resources, should rent space in a nearby building like any other business, rather than occupy public space with a container while vendors are displaced.
The URA quickly responded to defend its position. In a statement on X, the authority clarified that the container is not merely storage but a “fully functional tax office” dedicated to taxpayer education, awareness, and handling inquiries. “Its location is strategic,” the URA posted, emphasizing its role in easy accessibility for taxpayers and using the hashtags #FfeBanno and #DevelopingUgandaTogether.
The incident has highlighted a growing tension between the push for urban order and the perception of unequal application of the law. While many residents praise the cleaner streets, concerns are emerging regarding the displaced vendors’ livelihoods and a recent spike in daylight robberies, with CCTV footage capturing incidents near Kisenyi Taxi Park.
As vendors scramble to secure new spots in gazetted markets, the debate over the URA container remains a flashpoint, symbolizing the complex challenge of balancing urban planning, public safety, and equal enforcement of regulations in the capital.
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