Nyendo Roadside Vendors Protest Eviction

Roadside traders in Nyendo have raised concern over the on-going operation to evict them from the streets.

On Monday Nyendo Division authorities launched an operation to evict all traders from the roadsides.

The most affected traders are those operating shoe and cloth stalls, chapatti dealers, tea, and those that sell cooked food and vegetables among others. The traders have been operating on roads such as Masaka- Kampala, Kitovu road, Bukakata road and Villa road, among others.

They claim that they were cleared to operate by the division health inspector after paying 20,000 shillings.

Annet Namukasa a food vendor says that a big number of women in food vending business are widows who have to take care of their children. She says that that operating their stalls at the roadside is their only source of livelihood.

She says that the decision to confiscate their materials is unfair because they are not operating illegally since they contribute some fees to the division.

Some traders want the authorities to provide them with an alternative place to operate.

Vox pop Cue in: // “okuva 2012…”

Cue out: // “…ajje abantu kumakubo”

John Mukasa a chapatti dealer says that he employs over 6 people at his stall saying that evicting vendors from roadsides without alternative places to go to may force youths to engage in criminal activities.

Nyendo Division Chairperson, Michael Mulindwa Nakumusana, has defended the operation.

He explains that they decided to evict roadside traders because they are losing out on revenue from traders operating in shops and in hotel. He says that the traders claim that they lose all customers to vendors who sell similar commodities at a cheaper price.

Cue in: // “twafuna obuzibu….”

Cue out: // “…ajje abantu kumakubo” .

He has asked vendors operating at the roadside to go to the central market because their many stalls that are empty where they can work from without being disturbed.