Moroto Town Centre has taken on an unusually quiet atmosphere this festive season, with streets that are normally busy now largely deserted as residents and workers travel upcountry to celebrate Christmas and the New Year.
The Main Street typically bustling with vehicles, pedestrians, and business activity — now lies almost empty. Restaurants, bars, and recreational spots that usually record peak traffic during the holidays are experiencing low turnout, with only a handful of patrons seen at most establishments.
Paul Lotee, a resident of Nakapelimen Cell, attributed the calm to extended festive celebrations outside town.
“People are still enjoying the festive season. That’s why the town looks empty,” Lotee said.
However, John Bosco Lokii offered a different explanation, noting that many business owners, NGO staff, and government workers in Moroto are not native to the area.
“Most business people and workers here come from other places. When it’s festive season, they travel back home, and Moroto becomes quiet,” Lokii said.
From Independence Avenue and the Ring Roads to the Moroto–Lokitanyala Road and the usually crowded main market street, the situation is the same — largely deserted roads with only a few pedestrians moving about.
Small-scale traders appear to be the most affected. Joseph Mukasa, a shoe and belt vendor along Independence Avenue, said business has completely stalled.
“I have decided to stop selling for now. I have walked the whole day without selling a single item. I am just waiting for people to return,” Mukasa said.
Long queues that typically characterise banks and telecom service centres in Moroto have also disappeared, further highlighting the slowdown in economic activity.
Observers say the quietness reflects Moroto’s heavy dependence on workers and traders from other districts within and outside Karamoja, many of whom leave during the festive period — temporarily draining life from the town’s commercial hub.
