Gulu city to set up weekly markets for evicted street vendors

GULU, UGANDA: Gulu City Council will establish weekly markets to accommodate vendors who were evicted from the streets.

The resolution was made during a security meeting held at the Gulu city yard following an outcry from the evicted vendors citing a lack of space in the gazetted markets.

According to the resolution, the weekly markets will be held every Wednesday and Friday along Ring Road in Pece-Layibi division and Bardege-Layibi division respectively.

Peter Banya, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner for Gulu who chaired the Wednesday meeting said that the weekly market will start operating on Friday.

The decision came after security personnel on Tuesday blocked the authorities of the Bardege-Layibi division from allocating market space to the evicted vendors along Walter Opwonya road, an area which is claimed to be on the Pece Stream wetland.

Banya told URN after the meeting that the decision seeks to accommodate the more than 600 evicted vendors so that they can keep with their businesses amidst space shortages in the available gazetted markets.

Over 150 of the evicted vendors on Wednesday pitched camp at the Gulu city yard. They told URN that they are demanding to be given space for their businesses noting that they are living desperately.

Last month, the Gulu city authorities backed by security personnel evicted hundreds of street vendors in a move to enhance trade order, manage insecurity, and road accidents, and control traffic flow.