Iganga, Uganda: Authorities in Iganga Municipality on Friday intensified enforcement operations to restore order in the town centre, demolishing roadside kiosks and illegal structures after traders failed to comply with earlier directives to vacate public spaces.
The operation, led by Iganga Town Clerk Edith Turyasasirwa, targeted kiosks erected along roads and corridors which municipal leaders say had contributed to congestion and disrupted urban planning.
Municipal enforcement teams, supported by the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), oversaw the exercise that saw several structures dismantled using a bulldozer after traders ignored earlier warnings to remove them voluntarily.
Tension rose during the operation as a number of traders lost their businesses after municipal authorities resumed enforcement following a temporary pause earlier in the week.
According to municipal officials, affected traders had previously been given a deadline to vacate the illegal structures but some ignored the directive and continued operating, prompting the Friday demolition.
Several traders, however, criticised the municipal leadership, saying they were not given adequate time to relocate their businesses.
“A number of us are in loans and the only option remaining was setting up small businesses but they are also gone,” said Mugabi Aziz, one of the affected traders. “It will be very difficult for us to educate our children because our sources of income have been destroyed,” he added.
Some traders also blamed high rental costs in permanent buildings for forcing them to operate kiosks along roadsides.
However, Iganga Municipal Commercial Officer Herbert Kisaame advised traders to consider sharing rented spaces to reduce operational costs.
Authorities argue that the removal of kiosks is necessary to decongest the town and ensure emergency corridors remain accessible, especially during incidents such as fire outbreaks.
The enforcement exercise is estimated to have affected at least 1,000 traders, making it one of the largest operations carried out in the municipality in recent years.
Municipal officials have previously blamed political interference for delaying similar enforcement efforts aimed at restoring order in the town.
Some traders have since begun relocating their businesses to neighbouring towns where rental costs are reportedly lower.
Similar urban enforcement operations are also being implemented in other towns and cities including Mbale, Mbarara, Soroti, and Jinja, as authorities seek to improve urban planning and eliminate illegal structures.
Meanwhile, a section of boda boda riders has expressed concern after municipal authorities announced plans to streamline the sector by eliminating illegal stages and disqualifying riders who fail to meet the required operational standards.
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