We need a flexible policy on eviction of street vendors

By Ben Ssebuguzi

Kampala, Uganda: Kampala’s renewed enforcement drive against street vending has restored order in the city centre, but a rigid eviction policy without alternative operating spaces risks worsening unemployment, social unrest and economic exclusion.

We applaud the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for enforcing a new trade order that has improved the city’s appearance and pedestrian flow. A clean and organised capital is a shared aspiration. However, as we pursue permanent order, flexibility must guide enforcement.

While gazetted markets are being promoted as alternatives, their capacity may not be sufficient to absorb all displaced vendors. City suburbs such as Nansana and Gayaza could serve as temporary escape routes to cushion vulnerable traders, especially youth who rely on vending as an entry point into the market economy.

Unfortunately, reports indicate that some town councils have razed vendors’ property without prior ultimatums, devastating already fragile livelihoods. Leadership must avoid cornering desperate citizens. A flexible strategy, one that allows room for transition, reduces the risk of backlash, theft and political unrest.

Change management expert Fred Fiedler’s contingency theory reminds leaders that style should adapt to circumstances. Policies must respond to both internal realities and external pressures. Uganda’s employment data presents a compelling internal reality: according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2021/2022), about 41 per cent of youths are not in education, employment or training. For many, street vending is the most accessible gateway into commerce.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has consistently emphasised that wealth creation begins with having something to sell. Yet many youths have not accessed programmes such as Emyooga, PDM or ONC tools initiatives to kick-start enterprises. Until broader economic inclusion mechanisms fully absorb them, the streets, though imperfect, remain a starting point.

As Uganda pursues ambitious economic growth targets, including the tenfold growth vision of $500 billion, inclusivity must remain central. Organised inclusion is preferable to chaotic exclusion.

I appeal to the President to assess the relevance of designated suburban trading zones as a short-term measure while more structured market infrastructure is developed. Equally, local leaders should embrace Theory Y management, recognising citizens as valuable contributors, by prioritising dialogue, ultimatums and phased transitions rather than abrupt authoritarian enforcement.

Economic transformation requires discipline, but it must also reflect compassion, strategic flexibility and a clear pathway from informality to formal prosperity.