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By Our Staff Reporter
Mbale, Uganda – February 26, 2026– In a bid to restore order, improve sanitation, and reduce congestion in the Central Business District (CBD), Mbale City authorities have given street vendors, hawkers, and other informal traders a strict five-day ultimatum to relocate from public pavements, corridors, and roadways.
The directive, announced by City Town Clerk Assy Abirebe during a press briefing on Wednesday at the City Chambers, comes amid growing concerns over blocked walkways, unmanaged waste, and disrupted pedestrian and vehicular movement. Abirebe was joined by Northern Division Town Clerk Irene Okuna, Industrial Division Town Clerk Geoffrey Mugisha, Deputy Resident City Commissioner Hamza Banja, and other officials.”
We have conducted multiple sensitization meetings with the traders. This five-day grace period is final,” Abirebe stated. “After the deadline, our enforcement team, supported by security agencies, will clear all illegal trading spots.”
The ultimatum takes effect immediately and ends on Monday, March 2, 2026. Non-compliance will result in forceful eviction, with goods impounded and offenders arrested and charged in court.
Key enforcement hotspots include Republic Street, Naboa Road, Pallisa Road, Bishop Wasikye Road, and other busy thoroughfares in the CBD. The operation extends beyond vendors to include unauthorized taxi and bus stages, illegal boda boda parking, street children, and chapati sellers, according to Okuna, who described the effort as continuous.
Mugisha emphasized that no street vendors should remain by the deadline. “Pedestrians are being forced onto roads due to obstructed walkways, and licensed shop owners are losing business because entrances are blocked,” he said.
Authorities highlighted the underutilization of formal markets, including the multi-billion-shilling Mbale Central Market and suburban options like Namakweke and Kumi Road. Vendors, they argue, avoid these designated spaces to evade dues, leading to chaos on the streets.
Banja linked the disorder to rising criminality, noting that the city security committee has pledged full support for the council’s initiative.
The move has drawn mixed reactions. Shop owners and formal businesses have welcomed it, citing improved access and fair competition. However, many informal vendors express anxiety, claiming market stalls are either prohibitively expensive or controlled by middlemen who sublet at inflated rates.
This crackdown mirrors similar aggressive enforcement in other Ugandan cities, including a recent KCCA operation in Kampala that concluded on February 19, 2026, aimed at making changes permanent.
City leaders urged affected traders to approach Market Allocation Committees immediately to secure any vacant spaces in gazetted areas. “We are not chasing people away from the city but organizing trade for everyone’s benefit,” Abirebe added. “A functional city requires order—let’s support this for a better Mbale.”
Enforcement teams are reportedly prepared to act swiftly, with police backing to ensure compliance. Vendors and operators have been advised to comply voluntarily to avoid confrontation.
