KAMPALA – Vendors in their hundreds poured their merchandise onto the streets of Kampala and its outskirts to reap last minute cash, ahead of Christmas Day.
The traders’ actions came barely a year since Kampala Capital City Authority – KCCA evicted cleared the streets with in the central business district and its outskirts, of any vendors as part of the Smart City campaign.
The campaign, which was extended to all the five city divisions, left hundreds of vendors evicted as their temporary structures were either demolished or confiscated by the KCCA enforcement team, who worked in conjunction with the Army and Police.
However, as the festive season drew near, vendors took advantage of the overflow of customers to flood the streets with their merchandise, without any interruption from KCCA’s law enforcement team.
The traders stormed the streets as late as 3:00pm, spreading all kinds of commodities from fruits, vegetables, clothes, shoes, and electrical appliances among others. The most affected roads included Namirembe, Ben Kiwanuka, Ssebaana Kizito, Nakivubo road and place as well as part of Luwuum.
Hawkers were also seen, freely patrolling Kampala road, selling handkerchiefs, soakings, belts wallets as well as fruits, in addition to grasshopers – Nsenene – a delicacy.
In Bwaise and Kalerwe, vendors took to the streets, selling mainly fruits and groceries making the roads impassable for pedestrians. Others staged under the Kampala Northern bypass flyover, selling phone accessories and electric appliances
Ibrahim Lutalo, a street vendor operating along Nabugabo road, said he had harvested from the bumpy season for the last three days he had been on the streets. He, however, complained that most of the customers were looking for cheap stuff because of relevant poverty.
Martin Bakabani, another vendor at Mini Price, said that the only challenge was disruptions from some KCCA law enforcement officers.
