Justine Nyakaisiki | Tayari News
FORT PORTAL: Vendors and traders operating along the streets of Central Division in Fort Portal City have expressed concern and frustration after city authorities launched an enforcement operation to remove them from the streets on Monday.
Following the orders in a letter dated 5th March 2026 by the city clerk Ambrose Ochen, the vendors from the Central division were on Monday morning evicted by Uganda police and enforcement teams from Fort Portal City council.
During the exercise, several kiosks that had been constructed along roadsides were demolished, while some merchandise belonging to vendors was confiscated by the enforcement team.
Many of the affected vendors told Tayari News they were caught off guard by the operation, with some finding their structures already destroyed by the time they arrived at their workplaces. Others who were present struggled to salvage their property as the enforcement officers carried out the exercise.
“I just reported to my workplace only to find my mobile money shop destroyed, and yet I didn’t even know they would remove us who operate mobile money”, Doreen Karungi noted.
Some of the vendors accused the city authorities of implementing the eviction without first allocating them alternative places, arguing that street vending has been their main source of livelihood.
“I have been operating on the streets for the past 17 years, my small business has been my main source of income, where I have educated my children, and I have even recently got a loan from the money lender, so where will I start from, even they didn’t allocate us a place where to operate from now” says Justine Ahimbisibwe.
Peace Kyarisiima, another vendor, said that the eviction is going to affect her since she is a single mother of five children and they have been relying on her small food business.
However, the Town Clerk for Central Division, Didas Muhanguzi, defended the operation, saying the city authorities had already prepared and allocated designated places where the affected vendors would operate from.
“We have prepared five places for the street vendors that are Mpanga and Kabundaire markets, Fuelex, Kiboga road, and others, so the vendors should come and book places.” Muhanguzi highlighted.
Residents in the area also raised concerns that abruptly removing vendors without clear arrangements could create other challenges, including an increase in theft within the city.
According to Emmanuel Businge, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner (RCC) for Central Division, the operation will help address several challenges that have been affecting the city, including poor drainage and garbage accumulation.
“As you know, Mukisenyi has been an area with several fire outbreaks, so this operation will help with that challenge because congestion has been reduced, and it will also help with the drainage and garbage issue,” Businge said.
Businge added that the exercise will help restore order, improve cleanliness, and enhance the tourism image of the city.
City leaders say the enforcement operation will continue until order and proper sanitation are fully restored in the tourism city.
The eviction operations started in Kampala Capital City, and later spread to other cities like Mbale, Mbarara and Fort Portal.