By Aaron Okotel
MBALE CITY
Traders and residents in Mbale City have expressed mixed reactions following the forceful eviction of street vendors from major streets in the city centre.
The Mbale City authorities on Monday, March 2, launched a one-week operation to remove all street vendors and transportation operators and demolished hundreds of kiosks and stalls that had been operating along city roads. The move, according to officials, is intended to restore order, reduce congestion, and improve accessibility in the city.
While some residents have welcomed the operation, others argue that the process was poorly executed and has left many vendors without alternative places to operate from.
Hajji Massa Musa, the former Mayor of Industrial Division in Mbale City, supported the decision by the authorities, saying the city had become too congested due to the presence of vendors on the streets.
“So I really agree with the arrangement, and I want to thank the administration, especially the town clerks, for doing their most rightful work at the most appropriate time. So far, so good. The central lanes are passable; the streets are passable,” Musa said.
“We have been congesting the streets. You find a street with a market, a street with boda bodas, a street with taxi operators, and a street with pedestrians. That commotion has been a very big problem, causing a lot of insecurity in town. But now with this order, I see a lot of sanity, and we pray that it is sustained and maintained.”
However, some business operators inside the markets say the presence of vendors on the streets has been affecting their businesses for a long time.
Grace Kituyi, a businesswoman operating along Bugwere Market Road, said many customers prefer buying from street vendors instead of entering the market, which has greatly affected traders operating inside.
“We have been in the market for a long time, but the management has been failing us. We don’t sell much. You can sell only one kilogram of food, but someone cooking from outside sells over five kilograms. We need everyone to operate from inside the market,” Kituyi explained.
Similarly, Kutosi Davis, who owns Nalufutu Restaurant along Naboa Road, said street vendors contributed to congestion and unfair competition for business operators who pay taxes and rent.
“Some of us are very happy because those of us who are paying taxes are not benefiting, while those on the streets are selling. You find someone putting books in front of a bookshop, or someone selling textiles in front of a boutique,” Davis said.
Despite the support from some traders, the affected vendors have appealed to the city council to designate and gazette appropriate locations where they can legally operate and continue earning a living.
The vendors argue that street vending has been their main source of income and hope the authorities will consider providing alternative spaces to help them sustain their businesses.
