During the operation, enforcement teams demolished wooden and metallic stalls, containers, and extensions attached to permanent buildings. Several traders, including single mothers, broke down in tears as their livelihoods were destroyed, yet the demolition continued.
Traders in Mukono Central Division, Mukono Municipality, are decrying a harsh early morning enforcement operation that left many of their businesses demolished, raising concerns over rising rents and lack of relocation options.
The affected businesses included temporary roadside structures built within road reserves. Most of these, constructed from wood and metal, were run by low-income earners who rely on daily sales to support their families.
The demolition, heavily guarded by anti-riot police and UPDF officers, reportedly began at around 5:00 a.m., targeting structures marked with an “X” to indicate illegal location.
Mukono Municipality Town Clerk Francis Byabagambi said authorities had previously given traders time to voluntarily remove their structures. Although some complied, others did not act before the April 1 deadline.
However, Ester Nakamatte, one of the affected traders, said the two-week ultimatum was insufficient and that no alternative trading spaces had been provided.
“We were given only two weeks and told to vacate. Now we are being asked to rent permanent structures, with rents ranging from sh500,000 to sh1,000,000 or more. With a business capital of sh1.5m, I simply cannot afford that,” she lamented.
During the operation, enforcement teams demolished wooden and metallic stalls, containers, and extensions attached to permanent buildings. Several traders, including single mothers, broke down in tears as their livelihoods were destroyed, yet the demolition continued.
Teo Birungi, another affected trader, said some demolished structures were on privately owned land.
“It is unfortunate that even structures on titled land were affected. We had earlier allowed the government to tarmac the Nassuuti–Ntaawo road without compensation, believing it was for the common good. These businesses have been our only source of income, supporting our children’s education and daily needs,” she said.
The demolition spanned multiple areas, including Mukono–Kayunga Road, Nassuuti–Wantoni, Kame Valley Market, and the Kampala–Jinja Highway. Traders accused authorities of failing to provide adequate time to relocate or safeguard their merchandise and noted the absence of designated alternative trading spaces.
Earlier in the week, Byabagambi had warned traders against operating in unauthorized structures, insisting the crackdown was necessary to restore order and cautioning against fraudsters exploiting the situation with false promises of protection.
The operation has drawn criticism from leaders, including Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke and Mukono District NRM chairperson Haji Haruna Ssemakula, who argued that authorities should have first established a clear and fair relocation plan.
In contrast, Mukono Municipality NRM chairperson John Baptist Wamala defended the evictions, noting that similar measures are being implemented across urban centers to restore order.
“The very people claiming to speak for the affected traders are the same ones praising Rwanda for being clean and orderly. Let us support the government’s foresighted vision of restoring sanity in our urban centers,” Wamala said.
Many traders now face an uncertain future. Some had taken loans through government programs such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga to sustain their businesses, while others fear losing collateral as moneylenders begin demanding repayment.
