Mbarara City authorities on Monday morning launched a major enforcement operation to remove illegal businesses operating along roadsides and pedestrian walkways.
The exercise, which caught several traders off guard despite weeks of prior warnings, targets makeshift structures, kiosks and mobile money stalls that have encroached on road reserves and walkways across the city.
By dawn, enforcement officers were seen dismantling roadside stalls and directing traders to vacate the streets, marking the start of what officials describe as a “total restoration” of order in the city.
Sarah Nandawula, who is leading the field operation, said the crackdown is not a one-day exercise but a sustained 20-day enforcement campaign aimed at restoring order and ensuring businesses operate from designated trading areas.
“The exercise will last 20 days and will ensure that all traders occupy gazetted markets and trading areas,” Nandawula said.
She explained that the growing number of roadside kiosks had begun to obstruct traffic flow and compromise the city’s cleanliness.
The enforcement follows several notices issued by the city council urging traders to relocate voluntarily.
However, some traders expressed frustration, saying the operation has disrupted their livelihoods.
Justine Barekye defended the eviction, saying the city has adequate space in existing markets to accommodate affected traders.
“The affected have space in the existing markets,” Barekye said, noting that the city cannot adopt a laissez-faire approach to trade if it is to achieve its ambition of becoming a modern and competitive urban centre.
“And this exercise is going to take us a month. We shall be operating on a daily basis on the streets. I have enough manpower and equipment to ensure that this operation is successful,” she added.
City authorities pointed to several established markets as the appropriate locations for the traders, including Mbarara Central Market, Kakoba Market, Ruti Market, Nyamityobora Market, Biharwe Market, and Mugasha Market, which officials say still have available trading spaces.
Among those affected is Madiina Kebirungi, who operated a kiosk outside Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital and near the Rwizi Regional Police headquarters. Kebirungi said she had recently taken a loan from a SACCO to support her business.
“I had just acquired a loan from Muhanga SACCO. My business is now down, some of my property has been lost or destroyed, and I do not know what next for me,” she said.
Another trader, Moreen Twikiriize, said several kiosks were operated by spouses of police officers as a way of supplementing household income.
“Several police officers’ wives operated these kiosks due to delays in their husbands’ salaries and other challenges,” she said.
Twikiriize added that traders have been directed to relocate to Byafura, which she described as a swampy area that is difficult for customers to access.
“We have been told to relocate to Byafura. It is swampy and customers rarely reach there. The council needs to be considerate to us,” she said.
City authorities say the enforcement is expected to improve pedestrian safety by clearing walkways that had previously forced people to walk in the road. Officials also believe it will ease congestion in the Central Business District and improve revenue collection by ensuring traders operate from gazetted markets where they can be properly regulated.
Authorities have warned that traders who return to the streets after enforcement teams move to the next area will face legal action and risk having their goods permanently confiscated.