Jinja Joins Nationwide Crackdown on Street Vendors as Ugandan Cities Enforce Trade Order

Jinja, Uganda:  Jinja City has become the latest urban center in Uganda to issue a stern ultimatum to street vendors, illegal kiosk operators, and builders of unauthorized structures, joining a growing wave of enforcement actions across the country aimed at restoring order, decongesting public spaces, and promoting formal trade.

In a public notice dated March 2, 2026, and signed by City Town Clerk Godfrey B. Kisekka, Jinja City Council directed all affected parties to voluntarily remove illegal kiosks, cease street vending, and relocate to gazetted markets or shops. Illegal buildings and structures must also be dismantled by their owners no later than March 15, 2026. Failure to comply will trigger forceful operations starting Monday, March 16, with removals carried out at the owners’ cost and risk.

The notice, copied to the Resident City Commissioner, police commanders, division mayors, and other officials, emphasizes cooperation to avoid damage to property and to prevent worsening urban poverty, social misery, and crime rates.

Jinja’s move mirrors similar initiatives in other Ugandan cities and municipalities, reflecting what appears to be a coordinated national push supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to curb illegal street trading and reclaim public spaces.

The crackdown began in Kampala, where the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), backed by police, launched major evictions. Enforcement teams cleared vendors from key areas in the central business district starting around February 19.

The pattern quickly spread eastward. In Mbale City, authorities supported by police and the army began forceful demolitions on March 2, 2026. Graders cleared makeshift stalls along roadsides and ungazetted lanes in the central business district, including areas like Naboa Road and Mbale Central Market environs. The operation, now in its second week, has sparked mixed reactions, with vendors accusing officials of insufficient engagement and heavy losses.

Mbarara City issued a two-week ultimatum in late February, directing vendors to vacate streets or risk merchandise seizure. Tororo Municipality followed suit on March 4, giving vendors one week to leave roads, walkways, and reserves along key routes like the Tororo-Mbale Road.

Other areas, including Entebbe (with an early March ultimatum) and localized actions such as car bond evictions along the Kampala-Jinja Highway, indicate broader enforcement under government directives on trade regulation and urban management.

Ministry officials have defended the measures, arguing that street vending lacks legal recognition under current frameworks and disrupts orderly commerce. They point to efforts to explore alternatives, such as structured markets, though critics including affected traders highlight recurring cycles where evictions fail to provide sustainable relocation options.

Issa Sekito the Acting Chairperson of the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), supports the regulation of street vendors “A city without street vendors is a sign of sanity.” highlighting how street vendors block arcade entrances, congested walkways, and unfairly competed with compliant traders paying taxes and rents.