Gulu gives vendors three days to quit streets

Gulu District leaders have given a three-day ultimatum to street vendors operating within the municipality to vacate or risk being forcefully thrown out.
More than 300 vendors dealing in second-hand shoes, clothes and electronic appliances currently operate on Gulu-Kampala highway in Pece Division.
According to local leaders, most of the vendors fled from Kampala where they were evicted by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
Speaking to Daily Monitor in an interview on Tuesday, the Gulu District chairperson, Mr Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, said the vendors are operating in an area where no commercial activity should be taking place.
He said all the vendors are unregistered and do not pay market dues despite making profits from their illegal operation.
According to Mr Mapenduzi, the business activities on the road reserves have heavily affected vendors at Gulu main market since customers are hijacked by the street vendors.

Reallocation
“I have already written to the Municipal Town clerk, Mr Francis Barabanawe, to cause immediate eviction of the vendors. We have gazetted market places for the vendors where they can sell their merchandise,” Mr Mapenduzi said.
He said the businesses on the streets have been fueled by some corrupt leaders who take bribes from vendors assuring them that they won’t be evicted.
“We shall start an investigation headed by the District Police Commander on some of the leaders who have received money from the vendors. We shall prosecute them in the courts of law,” he said.
Mr Kelly Komakech, the Pece Division chairperson, said they are already in the process of evicting the vendors from the streets.
He said the vendors cause a lot of inconveniences to pedestrians since they sell on pavements.
“As Pece Division Council, we have resolved to kick out the vendors by Monday (December 10). We are, however, trying to relocate vendors to convenient areas,” he said.
Mr Komakech also said doing business on the streets is breeding crime, adding that many youth are now participating in gambling.
He said they have so far arrested and remanded six youth found gambling on the streets during day.
Mr Henry Ssempijja, one of the second hand shoe vendors, however, said he has been paying market dues every day to Pece Division officials and wondered why they want to evict them.
“I have little stock that’s why I find it unnecessary to rent a stall to sell from. The municipality officials should be lenient to us and allow us operate since we have been paying market dues,” he told Daily Monitor in an interview on Thursday.