The minister for Kampala Beti Kamya last week instructed City hall officials to evict street vendors in Uganda’s Capital with immediate effect.
Kamya said the order followed numerous appeals by the public to restore sanity in the city. She further noted that the presence of street vendors cost KCCA a loss of 37billion shs.
Her Wednesday proclamations however generated mixed reactions where the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago said Thursday that the street vendors in the city are going nowhere.
During a Saturday press conference in Kampala, Minister Beti Kamya said president Museveni has instructed the Minister of State for Micro finance, the Ministry of finance, and officials from National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) to meet the vendors and mobilize resources towards this move.
“Government is finalizing an arrangement, through which street vendors will be granted financial support to help them settle in gazetted market places.” She noted, adding that a detailed budget for the initiative is being developed.
She equally encouraged vendors to form organized groups of Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies through which their businesses can be supported.
She emphasises that the move is still an incentive to get vendors off the streets of Kampala and encourage them to settle in designated markets while supporting their business to grow.
The central division mayor, Charles Serunjogi has also warned vendors to accept government’s decision and quit the streets.
State aided newspaper the New Vision says Mayor Erias Lukwago is to convene a special meeting on Monday so as to tackle issues affecting vendors and hawkers in the city.
The meeting according to Lukwago is expected to come up with a solution and a position on trade order.
cnakalungi@ugchristiannews.com
