Moroto vendors’ pleas fall on deaf ears as eviction drive starts

The grader demolishing some of the containers along Moroto town main street.

Moroto, Uganda | URN | Despite local leaders’ attempts to halt the eviction, municipal council authorities in Moroto pushed ahead with demolishing kiosks and containers belonging to street vendors.

Early this month, the municipal council authorities issued a notice to all street vendors informing them of their planned eviction as part of a nationwide operation to restore order in trade.

The deadline elapsed on Friday, and on Monday, the authorities launched their operations, demolishing containers and kiosks along the streets of Moroto town.

This is part of the nationwide crackdown aimed at restoring order in trade. However, local leaders insist that the allotted time for vendors was insufficient to find alternative locations for their containers and store their goods while they look for better settlement structures.

According to them, vendors have complied and are willing to relocate, provided they are given enough time, making it unnecessary to use force and demolish people’s properties.

Ismail Mohammed, the Mayor of Moroto municipality, stressed that they had agreed in a meeting to implement the exercise in a phased manner, but instead, the authorities have decided to use force and cruelty to evict vendors.

He suggested suspending the operation until the new leadership is sworn in, allowing vendors to prepare and remove their commodities from the streets.

He noted that the eviction of street vendors will negatively impact the livelihoods of reformed warriors who are now finding peaceful alternatives to make a living.

Mohammed said Moroto town had been grappling with insecurity until recently, when youth were given the Parish Development Model to start income-generating activities. However, the trade order has disorganized their livelihoods, and he fears another wave of insecurity if the youth are rendered idle.

Mohammed ordered the police to withdraw and wait until the council resolves on peaceful measures to implement the order. He urged vendors to resist forced eviction and focus on finding alternative areas for settlement.

Simon Nangiro, former President of Moroto Municipal Development Forum, urged the council authorities to consider the human aspect while implementing their order.

Nangiro noted that people are struggling with loans and pushing hard to survive, and there should be mutual understanding to allow them to settle.He stressed that the Karamojong people have just recovered from insecurity, and this is the time for them to settle.

Nangiro urged authorities to give vendors three more months to relocate as they look for alternatives.

Isaac Lokol supported the operation but urged authorities to give people more time, as they had complied with removing their businesses from the streets.

Lokol observed that there was no resistance from vendors; they only requested more time to move their commodities safely.

Lokol said that since it is a national policy, technocrats should be considerate and understand vendors’ plight, rather than causing damage to people’s properties.

//Cue in : ‘’as Moroto we are…

Cue out :……….to remove their structures.’’//

Tabu Angella said the government should consider Karamoja a special case and not compare it to other developed towns.

Angella noted that the street business has helped young mothers and youths push for livelihoods, and disorganizing them will exacerbate insecurity if the youth fail to get income-generating activities.

Angella said they don’t have jobs to support their families, and their entire livelihood depends on the small businesses they’ve established in containers along the streets.

They’ve just recovered from the trauma of insecurity and are trying to venture into the money economy, but are being disrupted.

Francis Lopeyok, a container owner, said they’ve been relocated to a disorganized area without latrines, yet they expect a big population.

Lopeyok stressed that the Moroto municipal council was not ready for the execution of the trade order, and they had not been given enough time to remove their items.

Lopeyok said they’re not against the trade order, but authorities should listen to them and understand their plight. He urged them to give more time to find alternative spaces before demolishing containers.

Richard Eyaru, the Town Clerk for Moroto municipal council, insisted the exercise will continue, and only those who complied with removing their properties will be given more time to complete.

Eyaru noted that at least 80% of people from the South Division complied with the exercise, and the 20% asking for more time can be excused. When vendors show respect, authorities can listen and understand their plight.

Eyaru noted that their problem has only been in the North Division, where leaders misled the community, branding the exercise illegal.

He warned that there will be no more time for those not interested in cooperating with the exercise.