Street vendors in Nansana Municipality have been urged to cooperate with local leaders and municipal authorities in a planned effort to remove them from the streets and prevent conflicts.
The call was made by the Town Clerk of Nansana Municipality, Festo Tandeka, while addressing residents about the municipality’s strategy to manage vendors operating along roadsides.
“We are not going to act like in other areas where people are evicted without being engaged,” Tandeka said. “We believe in dialogue and ensuring that vendors are relocated peacefully without causing them unnecessary distress.”
He emphasized that the municipality is currently engaging vendors through consultations to ensure a smooth transition into designated markets without confrontation.
Tandeka noted that forceful evictions often leave vendors frustrated and emotionally affected, something the municipality is keen to avoid. “We want a process that respects people and allows them to move in a dignified manner,” he added.
The Deputy Speaker of Nansana Municipality, Ntale Kalema, also called for a more humane and structured approach in handling the relocation.
“There must be a proper system that does not push people off the streets harshly as seen in other areas,” Kalema said. “We need to handle our people in a way that considers their livelihoods.”
Kalema further suggested that flexible working arrangements be introduced, especially for vulnerable groups like single mothers. “If market spaces are not enough, these vendors should be allowed to work at specific times so they can take care of their families,” he said.
Authorities revealed that some vendors have already started relocating voluntarily from the streets to designated markets, where they have resumed their businesses.
The engagement process has so far been carried out across several divisions within the municipality, including Nansana, Nabweru, Gombe, and Busukuma.
Municipal leaders say the move to remove vendors from road reserves is expected to improve cleanliness in urban areas, reduce crime, and minimize road accidents, particularly in busy pedestrian zones.
The initiative is part of the government’s broader trade order policy aimed at restoring order and safety in urban centers.
