The National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Mukono District, through its spokesperson Hakim Kyeswa, has publicly opposed an ongoing municipal operation to evict vendors from roadsides and market areas, calling for its immediate suspension.
In a statement addressed to traders—including street vendors and informal workers—Kyeswa said many residents are living in anxiety following red markings placed on their stalls and notices ordering them to vacate by April 1.
He distanced President Museveni from the directive, emphasizing that the President had not ordered the evictions and instead supports initiatives aimed at uplifting low-income earners.
He argued that the exercise contradicts government programs such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), which has recently benefited many small-scale traders.
Kyeswa questioned the rationale behind removing traders who rely on their businesses to repay government-backed loans, warning that such actions could undermine livelihoods and economic stability.
While acknowledging the need for order and accessible roads, he stressed that enforcement should be consultative rather than punitive.
“Order must be built with the people, not against them,” he said.
Kyeswa further revealed that the NRM in Mukono has called for an immediate halt to the exercise and requested a stakeholder meeting involving traders, local leaders, security officials, and PDM administrators. The meeting would help determine which areas require clearing, which businesses can be relocated, and which can continue operating under clear guidelines.
He also urged traders in areas such as Nabuti, Namumira, Kiwanga, and Sonde to remain calm, continue working, and stay law-abiding as efforts are made to present their concerns to higher authorities.
Meanwhile, Mukono municipal authorities have maintained April 1 as the deadline to evict all illegal roadside structures. This has prompted some vendors to vacate, although many remain defiant, citing a lack of gazetted alternative locations.
Those most affected include traders operating in road reserves, wooden kiosks, canteens, and container-based businesses such as chips, chapati, and chicken stalls. Many of these structures have already been marked with an “X” for removal.
Traders say their biggest concern is the absence of designated relocation sites, raising fears of lost income and disrupted livelihoods.
Municipal authorities, however, insist that the operation is in line with a directive issued by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government.