Lira City to relocate street vendors to five markets

Lira City, Uganda: Authorities in Lira City have announced plans to relocate street vendors operating within the central business district to five designated markets in an effort to reduce congestion, restore order and improve the trading environment.

City leaders say the decision follows growing concerns about overcrowded streets, blocked pedestrian walkways and traffic disruptions caused by roadside trading.

Lira City Town Clerk Vicent Okurut said the relocation is intended to bring order to the city while ensuring vendors operate in organised trading spaces.

“We have identified five markets within the city where vendors will be relocated so that business is done in an organised environment,” Okurut told DailyExpress in an interview on Friday.

According to Okurut, the rising number of traders operating along roads and pavements has begun to affect movement within the city. “Many of our streets are congested because vendors have occupied road reserves and walkways. This makes it difficult for pedestrians and motorists to move freely,” he said.

Okurut added that relocating vendors to established markets will improve both safety and convenience for traders and customers. “When traders operate in proper markets, customers can shop comfortably and safely. Vendors will also have more structured working spaces compared to the streets,” he said.

He emphasised that the city will work closely with vendors during the relocation process to ensure a smooth transition. “We are not evicting them without alternatives. The markets are there, and we want to organise trade in a way that benefits everyone,” Okurut said.

Lira City Mayor Sam Atul backed the relocation plan, saying it is necessary to maintain order and support the city’s urban development. “The streets are not supposed to be markets,” Atul said. “When vendors spread everywhere, it becomes difficult to manage sanitation, traffic and security.”

He noted that although street vendors play an important role in the local economy, trading must take place in planned spaces. “Our vendors are important to the economy of Lira, but they must operate in places that are planned for business,” Atul said.

“If we want Lira to grow into a modern city, we must enforce order. Markets were built to accommodate traders and that is where they should operate from,” he added.

Mixed Reactions from Vendors

Some traders have welcomed the relocation proposal, saying formal markets could provide safer and more stable working conditions.

Sarah Achen, a fruit vendor along Obote Avenue, said operating on the streets exposes traders to harsh weather and frequent enforcement operations. “Sometimes we are chased from the roadside by authorities, yet we are only trying to earn a living,” Achen said.

“If the markets are organised and customers come there, it will be better because we shall work without fear,” she added.

Peter Odongo, a vegetable vendor near the bus park, said the move could improve safety. “When it rains, our goods are destroyed, and sometimes vehicles almost hit us. If we get proper space in the markets, it will improve our safety and business,” Odongo said.

However, other vendors remain sceptical, fearing the relocation could reduce customer traffic.

Jane Atim, a second-hand clothes trader in the city centre, said many customers prefer buying from vendors because they are located along busy streets.

“People buy from us because we are where they pass every day. If they take us to markets where there is little movement, our sales will drop,” Atim said.

Another trader, Moses Ocen, warned that previous relocation efforts had struggled because some markets lacked enough customers. “The city should first improve those markets before forcing us to relocate,” he said.

Despite concerns from some traders, city authorities insist the relocation will be carried out through consultations with vendor groups.

Town Clerk Okurut said the city leadership will continue engaging traders to address their concerns and ensure a peaceful process. “We want a clean, organised and business-friendly city, but we also want traders to succeed in their work,” he said.

If implemented, the relocation plan is expected to significantly reshape street trading in Lira City as authorities seek to balance urban order with the livelihoods of hundreds of small-scale traders.