By Yusuf Obbo
Thousands of street vendors and kiosk operators in Iganga Municipality are in a state of uncertainty following the launch of an eviction exercise targeting areas where they have been operating.
The ongoing operation, which began yesterday in the Northern Division, has left hundreds of traders without space to conduct their businesses. The eviction, being enforced by the municipal enforcement team and backed by police and the UPDF, is aimed at clearing roadside kiosks and vendors from the streets.
Arafat Mpawulo, a leader of the street vendors, said the eviction has come at a difficult time, with no alternative spaces allocated for the displaced traders.
“It is unfortunate that vendors are being forced out on short notice without being given an alternative place to work. The municipal council is sending us out of town as if we have not been useful. We have been paying a daily revenue of 500 shillings per vendor to the tenderers. Why now?” Mpawulo asked.
He added that some vendors have temporarily occupied the no-man’s zone at Freedom Square as they await further guidance.
Other affected areas include the taxi park and bus park, where several kiosks had been set up. While the operation has left many traders stranded, it has also cleared major roads in town, creating more space for motorists and pedestrians.
Speaking on the matter, Iganga Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Ismael Pinto said the eviction is intended to reorganize the town in preparation for development programs such as the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) initiative. The program is expected to improve road standards and enhance urban infrastructure.
Pinto urged the public to embrace the development, saying it will transform Iganga into a cleaner, more organized, and modern town that residents can be proud of. He encouraged vendors to utilize available space in the central market and private markets such as Luba and Abey Mukwaya.
He also warned that anyone who defies the directive to vacate the streets will face the full force of the law.
Meanwhile, victims of the eviction have appealed to authorities for leniency, particularly those who say they were not operating directly on the roadside.
Iganga Municipality is set to benefit from the USMID program through improved roads, installation of security lights, construction of drainage channels, renovation of the bus park, and acquisition of garbage trucks, among other developments.
