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Minister for Kampala Beti Olive Namisango Kamya Turomwe today announced KCCA shall immediately embark on an exercise she says aims to restore trade order, traffic order and development control in the city.
Kamya said therefore, illegal street vending activities will be stopped by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) “because they affect trade and cause a security threat, congestion of streets and walkways.”
Kampala Capital City minister Kamya told the press the vending activities prevent normal operation of licensed business and also create unfair trade competition. “They cause littering in the city and make it impossible to maintain and clean the roads and walkways,” she added.
“Government therefore directives all street vendors to vacate the streets, road reserves, open spaces, carriage ways and sidewalks forthwith” announced Kamya. She advised vendors to relocate to several markets round Kampala which it says still have vacant stalls.
Kamya said KCCA has now been empowered to carry out the operation to end illegal vending.
The move follows pressure exerted by Kampala traders group KACITA who complained that the vendors were denying them an avenue for business by vending similar products more cheaply.
Kamya told journalists that the directive was a direct response to the public outcry and urged all Kampala dwellers and political leaders to support the move.
“We would like to implore all people in Kampala who want and need a clean, vibrant and orderly city to cooperate with the KCCA enforcement team in order to exercise their mandate’.
The decision comes just a day after Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago met vendors and traders and said they agreed they return to the streets.
The Lukwago meeting is said to have concluded with an agreement with city traders operating business in arcades for vendors to vacate streets in front of arcades and occupy other streets such as Nakivubo in an evening market starting 5pm daily.
FULL STATEMENT
STATEMENT ON TRADE ORDER AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN KAMPALA CAPITAL CITY
19th October 2016
The Ministry of Kampala Capital City is aware of the grave status of trade disorder in Kampala Capital City which has culminated in traffic congestion, noise pollution, indiscriminate parking, unfair trade practices and competition. This has led to insecurity and violence on the streets of Kampala, particularly between the shop traders and street vendors.
Kampala Capital City is governed by the Constitution, Kampala Capital City Act, 2010 and the KCCA administers and enforces several Ordinances and bylaws including, the Kampala City (Maintenance of Law and Order) Ordinance, 2006, the Local Governments (Kampala City) (Street Traders) Bylaws, the Local Governments (Kampala City Council) (Licensing of Trade Persons) Ordinance, 2006 and these laws govern trade order.
We have received and discussed several petitions, views and concerns of various stakeholders and met with the political and technical leaders of Kampala to address the issues of trade order in the city. The Ministry has conducted a tour of the city, particularly the Central Business District and witnessed directly what the absence of trade order has reduced Kampala City to. We have received and considered various suggestions on how to resolve the street vending question and the Ministry has directed the Kampala Capital City Authority to provide medium and long term strategies on the improvement of trade order in the city.
Kampala Capital City Authority shall embark on an exercise to restore trade order, traffic order and development control in the city.
As part of our effort to improve Kampala City, all illegal street vending activities will not be allowed to continue because they affect trade and cause a security threat, congestion of streets and walkways. They prevent normal operation of licensed business and also create unfair trade competition. They cause littering in the city and make it impossible to maintain and clean the roads and walkways.
The KCCA has identified several vending facilities in markets in and around the city as an alternative to vending on the streets. A number of these markets are not fully occupied. The street vendors are advised to take advantage of these markets and work together with KCCA in case they need their conditions in such markets considered or reviewed for purposes of enhancing their business. The street vendors are advised to register at the available markets with the management of the said markets in order to be allocated space.
Government therefore directs all street vendors to vacate the streets, road reserves, open spaces, road carriageways and sidewalks forthwith.
We would like to implore all those who want a clean, vibrant and orderly city to co-operate with the Kampala Capital City Authority in this exercise.
For God and My Country
Beti Turwomwe Kamya
MINISTER FOR KAMPALA CAPITAL CITY
