Hundreds of traders operating on the streets are shedding crocodile tears after the municipal authorities banning them from the streets in Entebbe.
The municipal authorities have suspended all the businesses operating on the streets around the new Kitooro multi billion shillings market.
The municipal authorities headed by the town clerk Charles Magumba on Tuesday gave ultimatum to traders to stop operating on the streets and roads next to the new giant storied market in the centre of the town in Kitooro trading centre.
The enforcement team headed by one Faisal with police had running battles with streets vendors on the streets on Tuesday.
“The municipal authorities hired “kanyamas” and bouncers to evict chaotic street vendors with no earlier communication to vacate the streets and roadsides”, said source.
“The enforcement team headed by one Faisal woke up in the morning and started impounding traders’ items and commodities from the streets with no earlier communication to that effect like they are operating in a village”, said inside source.
The enforcement team headed by one Faisal walked with Kanyamas and impounded traders’ items from the streets to the municipal yard after town clerk’s communication banning street vendors from the roadsides.
“Police swung into action and rescued the municipal enforcement team after street vendors rioting and making noise over poor communication” said Joshua Kuteesa.
The street vendors had running battles with the police for several hours which forced the division chairman Richard Ssekyondo to walk out of office and address the angry street vendors.
“The division chairman assured traders to be calm despite the town clerk’s decision on trade order in the town” , said Ssekyondo.
The shs24billion market was officially launched by the president earlier this year and later opened to public two months ago.
The magnificent market has changed the business skyline with new buildings around the area plus sky rocketing rental fees plus other modalities .
We have highly established that streets vendors have been given days to operate on the roadsides and find their next destination after choking on COVID 19.
(Report By ROBERT PEACOCK)
