Traders affected by last year’s devastating floods in Kampala on Wednesday converged at the Naguru Police Headquarters, demanding government intervention over delayed compensation.
The aggrieved traders said they were seeking the support of Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba to engage Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and expedite the release of funds they claim were promised following the floods.
Security was heavily deployed around the police headquarters as hundreds of traders arrived, some chanting and expressing frustration over what they described as prolonged delays in payment. Several protesters appeared visibly distressed, with some sitting on the ground as they demanded immediate action.
The protest comes amid reports that the Ministry of Finance had already released compensation funds to the Office of the Prime Minister, a development that has further angered the traders who say they have waited for months without receiving any payments.
Police spent much of the morning trying to calm the situation before allowing a small delegation of traders’ representatives to enter for a closed-door meeting with senior officers.
The rest of the group remained outside the main gate, continuing to demand accountability and faster action.
After several hours of discussions, the traders’ leaders, led by John Kabanda, addressed the crowd and said they had been informed that the funds were already in the custody of the Prime Minister’s office.
“We have been informed that the Prime Minister has the money. What remains now is for the lists of affected traders to be harmonized so that payments can begin,” Kabanda said.
He added that verification of beneficiaries would begin immediately, cautioning that traders without bank accounts could face delays in accessing their compensation.
“Those without bank accounts may face challenges in accessing the money, but verification of all complaints will begin tomorrow,” he said.
Following the meeting, police guided the traders back to their vehicles as security personnel supervised a calm dispersal of the crowd, ending the tense standoff at Naguru.
The traders have vowed to continue following up the matter until all affected individuals receive their compensation, maintaining that the delays have worsened their financial hardship following the floods that destroyed goods and disrupted livelihoods across Kampala.
