By Damali Mukhaye
The Minister for Kampala City and Metropolitan Affairs, Ms Minsa Kabanda, has issued a two-week ultimatum to street vendors and boda boda riders operating at illegal stages to vacate Kampala City, as part of government efforts to restore order and sanity in the capital.
Addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre, Ms Kabanda said vendors and boda boda riders operating illegally have until 19 February to vacate the streets of Kampala peacefully. She emphasised that the government prefers voluntary compliance rather than forceful eviction.
“Today’s press briefing is about trade order in Kampala as we aim to restore sanity in the city so that we can all enjoy living and working here. The political season has conclusively ended. Kampala is highly congested, and the government will no longer tolerate disorder, lawlessness and the abuse of public space in the name of survival or politics,” Ms Kabanda said.
She explained that enforcement measures had previously been relaxed to allow peaceful political participation during the election period, but noted that this grace period has now come to an end.
According to the minister, street vending and hawking on roads, pedestrian walkways, drainage channels, junctions and road reserves is illegal and will no longer be tolerated. She added that illegal boda boda stages within the Central Business District have also been abolished.
“Riding on pedestrian walkways, obstructing traffic and operating without registration will result in immediate impounding and arrest,” she warned.
Ms Kabanda said the government has repeatedly listened to appeals from vendors and issued warnings, stressing that the time has now come for full compliance with the law. She noted that continued disregard for regulations has contributed to congestion, sanitation challenges and safety risks for both traders and city residents.
Meanwhile, the government says it has provided alternatives for those affected. Gazetted markets and designated boda boda stages have been put in place to accommodate traders and riders willing to operate legally.
Ms Kabanda also revealed that the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has responded to requests from vendors and is in the process of reinstating the Sunday Market to provide additional trading opportunities.
“Those who require working space in the gazetted areas should approach KCCA, through the Directorate of Gender, for guidance. What follows now, therefore, is the enforcement of trade order and not dialogue anymore,” Ms Kabanda said.
Over the past few days, KCCA has been issuing notices requiring vendors to vacate the streets. The minister reiterated that affected individuals have two weeks to comply peacefully or face eviction.
She announced that joint enforcement teams comprising KCCA, the Uganda Police Force and other sister security agencies will commence full clearance operations across the city once the ultimatum expires.
According to her, enforcement will be automatic and zero-tolerance, with no negotiations on the ground. Ms Kabanda warned that any person who returns to illegal trading after eviction will be arrested and prosecuted. She further cautioned that any goods found being traded illegally will be confiscated in accordance with the law.
She called upon residents, traders, boda boda riders, political leaders and opinion shapers to cooperate with enforcement teams and support efforts to restore order in the city.
In Kampala City, the management of street vending has historically involved periodic enforcement operations led by KCCA. These interventions have aimed at decongesting the Central Business District and improving sanitation, traffic flow and public safety.
Over the years, street vendors have been removed from major roads, arcades and pedestrian walkways and directed to designated markets such as Owino, Wandegeya and Nakawa. Despite these measures, street vending has frequently re-emerged due to limited space in formal markets, high rental costs and sustained demand for affordable street-level trade.