Eviction of street vendors leaves traders in city arcades in tears

People who conduct business in the numerous arcades and plazas in Kampala have decried a reduction in the number of customers due to eviction of the vendors and hawkers from the city streets.

They said that following the eviction of street vendors, some of whom were their daily customers, business has come to a standstill.

Vendors and hawkers were evicted on January 17 on the orders of Kampala RCC, Hudu Hussein by KCCA law enforcement officers and other security personnel.

Hussein said the purpose of the controversial move was to restore trade order in the city.

However, it now appears that their eviction has hurt traders who operate in the city arcades.

"Since KCCA started evicting street vendors, our sales have reduced. We no longer sell like we used to yet we are looking for school fees and rent," said Shiellat Nabaggala, a trader on one of the arcades.

James Muguwa, another trader, feared that their businesses could collapse and force some of them to "go back to the village."

"We are about to go back to the villages because we have no money to pay for rent," Muguwa said.

Boda boda cyclists, too, claimed that they have lost business because vendors were some of their customers.

“We have just been idling here on the stage since morning. We don’t see customers. We request government to plan better for the street vendors and bring them back to the city," said one of the cyclists.

KCCA's law enforcement team and security officers are still patrolling the streets, arresting a few street vendors who display their goods on the roadside.