KCCA to register street vendors and hawkers

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has decided to register street vendors and hawkers in Kampala. This was announced by Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, the Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs on Friday while meeting KCCA officials and leaders of vendors from different associations.

She said that the registration will help the authority to ascertain the exact number of vendors, who will be relocated to different divisions to benefit from government programs.

Kabanda also promised that KCCA will return the vendors merchandise that was confiscated when they were being evicted off the streets.

Before the meeting started, there was a scuffle among the different association members each accusing the other of hypocrisy and abandoning the vendors.

Asaf Nawiira of the United Vendors Association accused leaders in the federation which brings together the other 42 vendors and hawkers of being duped by some officials in KCCA to swindle government money under the guise of buying land for vendors and hawkers.

But Suleiman Male, the Secretary for Defence under the vendors federation denied the allegations.

Dorothy Kisaka, the KCCA Executive Director asked the vendors to form a unified leadership to ease the authority’s efforts to support them and also to streamline communication.

Kisaka also asked the vendors to embrace the smart city because it is not only to help them but even other people who live in the city.

Hamis Kanyike, a vendor requested KCCA to allocate them specific streets, where they can operate after 5 pm, as well as opening the Sunday market.

The vendors also raised concern about the highhandedness of the KCCA enforcement officers who manhandled them during the eviction.

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