KCCA Cracks Down: Street Vendors Given 7-Day Ultimatum to Vacate Kampala
KAMPALA – In a sweeping move to reclaim the city’s pavements, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has issued a stern seven-day ultimatum to all hawkers and street vendors, ordering them to cease operations or face forceful enforcement.
The directive, announced in a public notice earlier this week, mandates that all informal traders must pack up and “vanish” from the streets of the capital. The operation, which has been described by observers as a “brutal street cleansing,” is set to begin its countdown on Monday.
KCCA has stated that the vendors must relocate to officially designated trading centres. The authority has urged those interested in securing a legal vending space to promptly approach Market Allocation Committees and market administrators to book their spots.
In a separate but related crackdown, KCCA has also completely banned food vendors who use charcoal stoves, locally known as sigiris, from operating in taxi parks and along city streets. The authority has justified this specific ban by citing the stoves as a significant fire hazard and a “public nuisance.”
This move represents the latest and one of the most forceful efforts by the city administration to bring order to Kampala’s often chaotic and crowded business districts. While aimed at decongesting pavements and improving public safety, the decision is expected to draw sharp criticism and cause significant upheaval for thousands of small-scale traders who depend on street vending for their livelihood.
The coming week will be a critical test of will between the city’s enforcement “iron hand” and the resilience of its vast informal economy.
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