Government assures traders affected by the trade order that it will find new work stations for those who will not find space in the existing markets.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Ben Kumumanya, assured traders that the Government is committed to establishing enough trade spaces to ensure that affected vendors are able to return to business as soon as possible.
This was during a consultative meeting held at the Ministry headquarters with traders’ representatives led by the president of the Federation of Uganda Traders Association (FUTA) John Kabanda to discuss concerns arising from the on-going implementation of Trade Order operations.
The meeting was also meant to review the progress of Trade Order operations and harmonize implementation across local governments.
Mr. Kumumanya assured traders that the Government remains committed to improving the process of implementation of the Trade Order in all cities, town councils and municipalities while ensuring that affected vendors are supported with appropriate alternative trading spaces. He emphasized that the objective of Trade Order is to restore order, improve sanitation, ease traffic flow, and ensure that business activities are conducted in gazetted and approved trading areas in line with the law.
The Permanent Secretary emphasized that the issue is not with the trade order policy, but improving how it is implemented. He condemned the inhumane methods used by some enforcement officers in some places such as forceful evictions, confiscation of goods, and demolition of business structures without proper notice to the owners, noting that such actions go against the intended purpose of the initiative. He stressed that enforcement must be carried out in a fair and a humane manner.
Mr. David Nuwabine, the KCCA spokesperson who represented the Executive Director, informed the meeting that licensed traders in Kampala have increased from 12,536 to over 20,000 after the exercise began in February 2026. He noted that this demonstrates the positive impact of the policy in formalizing businesses and improving urban management.
Mr. Kumumanya promised that there will be a follow-up meeting in two weeks’ time to communicate progress on the agreed position after more consultations with all stakeholders. He promised that nationwide sensitization campaigns and community barazas will be organised with traders across the country to help the public to understand the policy better.
The meeting was also attended by the Commissioner for Urban Administration in the local government ministry Charles Magumba, other government officials including Jones Makula Mukasa, Commissioner from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives and the Presidential Advisor on markets Winnie Atwine.
