Masaka municipality leaders disagree on eviction of food vendors

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | Godfrey Kayemba Afaayo, the Masaka municipality mayor and John Bahengana, the town clerk have disagreed on a proposal to evict food vendors off the streets of the town.

Bahengana is accusing the vendors of overcrowding the street walkaways, making the town filthy in the town and causing disorder.

The different streets of Masaka are known to attract high numbers of vendors dealing in both raw and cooked foodstuffs, usually targeting customers in the evening hours.

These vendors are fond of taking advantage of the current streetlights that were installed to operate on the streets.

Bahengana says its high time vendors occupied the gazetted places in markets and buildings to establish permanent eating joints and restaurants for purposes of restoring order in the municipality.

But Godfrey Kayemba, the municipality Mayor says that the vendors need to be guided on how to maintain order while doing their work other than being evicted.

He says that he has to ensure that all categories of people leave in the town and fully benefit from the facilities in place to improve their livelihoods.

The disagreement between the two municipality principle has also steered mixed reactions as they being are supported by divergent public opinions that started right from the audiences that attended budget conference.

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