Hoima street vendors reject alternative market areas

Street vendors operating along the street at Duhaga roundabout in Hoima city have rejected the city council resolution on trade eviction order.

The resolution, passed by Hoima City West Division on February 26, orders vendors to vacate the streets to other designated areas.

Traders are expected to start moving to new markets from March to June 2026.

A week ago, City council carried out a one day armed operation evicting a number of street vendors.

During the council which was chaired by speaker Edward Ayesiga Busiinge, the alternative markets identified were Kibingo, Kyesiga, and Nyarugabu.

These markets were established in 2019 by the former mayor who is the current state minister for public service, Grace Mary Mugasa.

From the city center, Kibingo market is 3 kilometers away, while Nyarugabo is 6 and Kyesiga, 7 kilometers, respectively.

tndNews, Uganda understands that the move is aimed at decongesting the town as the city looks forward to hosting the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament next year, 2027.

William Musinguzi, the chairperson of the market, said they have agreed to vacate to a newly gazetted market as promised earlier by the city.

According to him, the alternative markets proposed by the council do not match their operations, citing lack of potential clients’ access.

However, he said that vendors remain committed to continuous revenue collection despite eviction order.

“We want to remind you that we did not bring ourselves on the street, we were brought by the city council which promised to get us a proper market place to reallocate us to. Even those alternative market areas are not fit for businesses,” he said

“Therefore, they should equally use the four months to prepare and buy a plot of land within the city center, for we shall be ready to vacate within the given four months,” he continued

Musinguzi urged the city authorities to team up with the market committees for proper eviction.

Currently, one of the alternative markets (Kibingo) has been abandoned by both residents and other business owners for over three years without putting it into use.

Others like Nyarugabo and Kyesiga are under fair use.

Margret Kwesiga, a vendor, said: “We are not ready to vacate this place because the authority had early promised to get for us a permanent market for us to shit to.”

“Doing this step on the lives of our livelihoods. Some of us have children at school and we also operate on loans,” Kwesiga continued

Another vendor,Regina Ganyana attributed the cause of their eviction to a politically driven motive.

Jolly Muganyizi expressed her concern over frequent evictions which has made them become popular vagabonds in the city, noting that the city never told them about the current alternative markets.

This has entitled us to too many losses of food items which get spoiled in the frequent transitions, she said.

She calls the order very unfortunate. “We have just settled here after frequent evictions which cost us a lot of losses,” she said

Teopista Nyamahunge, 70, also rejected the order, saying that the alternative market areas are at far distances which she can not manage to reach on a daily basis. She cites the cost of transport.

The current market accommodates over 350 vendors.

City leadership

Edward Busiinge Ayesiga said the move to transfer vendors is not political and that they should welcome it with good hearts.

The vendors, he said, are in the know of their illegal operations, adding that this will help the city get organised in terms of health and hygiene management.

Hoima West Division town clerk, Catherine Mbambu said the move is aimed at improving the city’s arrangement and boosting revenue collection.

There shall be several sensitisation meetings with vendors in preparation for the evictions, she said .

The assistant Resident City Commissioner for Hoima West City Division, Davis Nkuunda Baingana, noted that traders should vacate the roundabout so the city is organised.