Vendors Defy KCCA Directive of Evicting Kampala Streets, Pour Out their Merchandise to Work

Under a steady Thursday morning rain, several street vendors returned to their usual spots in the city centre, openly defying a directive by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) ordering them to vacate the streets effective today.

Vendors were seen unwrapping merchandise beneath umbrellas and makeshift tarpaulins despite the rain. Fresh vegetables, second-hand clothes and assorted household items were carefully arranged along pavements as traders attempted to resume business.

Many of those who spoke to Blizz Uganda said they had nowhere else to go and no alternative source of income.

“We survive on what we sell each day,” one vendor said. “If we leave the streets, what will we eat?”

However, not all traders chose to remain. Several streets that are typically packed with roadside stalls and heavy pedestrian traffic were noticeably empty. Rainwater pooled in potholes and along drainage channels, while sections of the city centre appeared calmer than usual.

The reduced activity follows KCCA’s enforcement notice aimed at ejecting street vendors in a bid to restore order and improve sanitation within the Central Business District. Authorities have argued that unregulated street trading contributes to congestion, poor waste management and safety concerns.

While some vendors appear to have complied with the directive, others expressed confusion about relocation plans, saying they had not been given clear alternatives.

By mid-morning, no major confrontations had been reported. Still, tension lingered in the air. Many traders said they were operating cautiously, constantly watching for signs of enforcement officers who could launch operations later in the day.