Nebbi, (UG): The Nebbi Municipality Council has given owners of kiosks and food vendors operating within the Central business district (CBD) an ultimatum to vacate the area.
The affected traders are those settled along Pithua Road, Uringi Road, Nebbi-Alwi-Pakwach Road, and within the market square. The traders had set up illegal structures like lock-ups, wooden structures, and eateries among others along the walkways without approval from the Municipality’s physical planning unit.
Geoffrey Ngeriker, the Mayor of Nebbi Municipality explains that the move to evict the kiosk owners is to pave the way for the installation of Street lights and walkways as well as the construction drainage system along the 33-kilometer Alwi–Nebbi Town road that is currently being constructed by China Railway 18th Bureau group.
He further advised the traders to shift to the new lorry park along Nebbi-Arua road and Abindu market.
However, some of the owners of the kiosks, Uganda Radio Network spoke to say that the decision to evict them from the streets is detrimental to their businesses and livelihoods, urging the municipal authorities to rescind their decision.
Joshua Kumakech, a kiosk owner at Pakwach stage in Nebbi Town argues that the proposed Lorry park has no customers since the municipality council failed to get traders to occupy it.
Dickson Masendi, another trader, has called upon the municipality authorities to give them more time to relocate since it involves costs.
Currently, several walkways in Nebbi Town are occupied by Kiosks, makeshift food joints as well as merchandise ranging from shoes, to second-hand clothes.
In 2016, the Nebbi Municipality council carried out a similar eviction of traders along the streets over insecurity fears, something that left vendors lost their businesses.
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