The operation followed the expiry of a two-week ultimatum issued by the Moroto Town Clerk Richard Eyaru on March 6, 2026, directing vendors and kiosks owners operating outside gazetted markets to voluntarily relocate to the central market.
By Lazaro Apunyo and Cindrella Atenyo
Anguish describes the mood in Moroto Municipality as authorities start eviction of street vendors in a bold move to decongest roads and restore order.
The law enforcement personnel from Moroto Municipal Council supported by Joint Security Forces of police and UPDF on Monday morning, March 23, 2026, embarked on the implementation of an order to clear the streets of vendors.
The operation followed the expiry of a two-week definitive directive issued by the Moroto Town Clerk, Richard Eyaru, on March 6, 2026, for vendors and kiosks owners operating outside gazetted markets to voluntarily relocate to the central market.
The operation which started as early as 6:30 a.m saw several kiosks, containers and stalls constructed along streets in the municipality razed down by the grader as the owners watched helplessly.
While Eyaru maintains that the relocation is necessary for a modern and clean municipality, the voices on the streets tell a story of desperate survival.
Jessica Atim, one of the street vendors, has asked the municipal council to give them more time to relocate and settle.
She argued that the sudden relocation to designated markets could disrupt their businesses before their customers move to the new trading space.
“We understand the cost that comes with development, but we ask the authorities to give us time to adjust to new trading places and director our customers there
Street vendors play an important role in the local economy, arguing that many pay daily taxes and offer residents convenient access to goods”, Atim said.
Moses Lorika, a representative of property owners, noted that many vendors are struggling to service the loans they borrowed to either start up or boost their small scale businesses.
He expressed fear that some of them may fail to fulfill their loan obligation as relocation is going to disorganize their operations.
Lorika underscored the need to sensitive vendors before evicting them because many have never rented a stall or a shop.
Ismail Mohammed, the outgoing Mayor of Moroto municipality, claimed that the latter didn’t follow the right procedure while implementing the eviction order.
Mohammed, whose container was also demolished during the operation, accused the town clerk and law enforcement officers of forcibly evicting vendors, contrary to the phased eviction plan agreed upon in a prior meeting.
He recommended that municipal council law enforcement officers halt forceful eviction of the vendors and instead allow them to relocate freely.
“There is a need to regulate these vendors and assign them some particular open places and roads they can be licensed to operate from in accordance with the existing law”, Mohammed argued.
But Richard Eyaru, the Moroto Town Clerk said the eviction directive issued two weeks ago, will be enforced as directed by the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Local Government Ben Kumumanya, in his circular issued on march 10, 2026.
He asked politicians to stop politicizing eviction of street vendors, claiming that 80 percent of the vendors have agreed to leave the streets and relocate to gazetted markets.
“The issue of vendors being relocated from the streets has been politicized by some politicians because of their personal interest, Moroto Central market has more than 1,000 empty stalls which can accommodate all the street vendors,” said Eyaru.
He said “The vendors were given weeks to leave the streets, some have obliged while others have refused to leave leaving us with no option but to evict them forcefully ”.
“Organizing street vendors to go to gazetted markets is one of the ways of helping them to get out of poverty because you cannot grow economically strong when you don’t have an address where you do your work from,” Eyaru explained.
Eyaru said that vendors with heavy containers have been given at least one month to remove their containers.
Do you want to send us a story? SMS or Call +256-787-551-001 or WhatsApp +256-770-450-528 or Submit on on email eetoilnewsdesk@gmail.com
