Paidha, Uganda: Business owners in Paidha Town Council woke up on Monday to the full implementation of a government directive enforcing the national trade order, a move aimed at reorganizing urban commercial activities, decongesting streets, and ensuring businesses operate only in gazetted trading areas.
Walking through the town’s central business area, the once vibrant roadside trading spots had largely disappeared. Wooden kiosks and makeshift stalls that previously lined both sides of the roads were being dismantled as enforcement teams cleared structures erected along road reserves and public spaces.
Piles of timber, iron sheets and other construction materials, which had supported many traders’ livelihoods for years, lay scattered along the roadside. Some traders remained nearby under umbrellas and plastic sheets, watching the demolition or attempting to continue business while considering their next steps.
Heavy machinery moved through the area, tearing down the remaining structures. For many business owners, the sight of excavators reducing years of investment to rubble within minutes underscored the emotional and economic impact of the exercise.
Felix Jacwicungeo, the Community Development Officer for Paidha Town Council, said the enforcement was intended to address persistent operational challenges in the busy commercial centre, including illegal vending along Offaka Road and kiosks blocking pedestrian corridors and access routes.
“Traders were given a one-month ultimatum in May and an additional two weeks for relocation, but some traders stubbornly insisted on their resistance to change.”
Jacwicungeo said the exercise also highlights the need for greater public awareness about urban planning regulations, noting that some residents continue to erect commercial structures without first consulting the town council.
The enforcement follows similar operations conducted earlier this year in Kampala, Mbale and Arua cities before extending to municipalities including Nebbi and Koboko in the West Nile sub-region.
Authorities say the operation is being implemented in line with the Paidha Town Council Physical Development Plan 2025–2035, which seeks to resolve long-standing urban planning challenges, improve order within the town, and create a more organized business environment.
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