KCCA Enforces Trade Order as Kampala Street Vendors Vacate Central Business District

Authorities in Kampala have launched a major enforcement operation targeting street vendors in the capital’s central business district (CBD), marking one of the most sweeping urban crackdowns in recent years.

The action follows a trade order issued by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) aimed at restoring order, improving sanitation and easing congestion in the city centre.

By Thursday morning, large sections of Kampala’s CBD appeared noticeably clearer as many vendors voluntarily vacated the streets. Stalls that typically crowd pedestrian walkways and road reserves were absent, creating unusually open spaces across key commercial corridors.

However, authorities confirmed that some vendors who resisted the directive were arrested during enforcement operations.

KCCA officials say the move is intended to reorganize trade within designated markets and eliminate what they describe as illegal street vending. The authority maintains that vendors have previously been allocated spaces in gazetted markets but continue to operate along streets due to customer traffic and accessibility.

For many traders, however, the eviction threatens their primary source of income. Some vendors argue that available market spaces are either insufficient or poorly located, making it difficult to sustain daily sales.

The operation sets the stage for a tense standoff between city authorities and informal traders, with potential implications for livelihoods, urban planning and enforcement policy in the capital.

KCCA has yet to indicate how long the intensified enforcement will continue, but officials insist the trade order will be fully implemented as part of broader efforts to reshape Kampala’s urban landscape.