Kyadondo County East Member of Parliament and former Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Nkunyingi Muwada, has urged the Ugandan government to support small-scale traders as Ugandans operating businesses in Kenya face uncertainty following a crackdown on foreign-owned small businesses.
Kenyan President William Ruto recently directed authorities to crack down on foreigners engaged in small-scale businesses, including hawking and petty retail, a move that has affected Ugandan traders and prompted some to leave the country.
Muwada said Uganda should recognise vending and other small-scale businesses as an important source of livelihood and create an environment where traders can operate legally rather than forcing them to seek opportunities in neighbouring countries.
“Government and authorities in Uganda must also loosen and understand that part of our society is engaged in small-scale business, including vending, and they must be supported,” Muwada said.
The legislator said that during his tenure as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, he interacted with hundreds of Ugandan street vendors operating in Kenya and found that many had moved there after experiencing difficulties conducting business in Uganda.
According to Muwada, some traders told him that their merchandise was frequently confiscated by authorities in Kampala, with some being required to pay large sums of money to recover their goods.
“Some claimed that as they were vending on Kampala streets, whenever they could confiscate their property, the authorities in KCCA could demand above Shs500,000 to release their goods, while in Kenya they could spend as low as Shs50,000 to reclaim their goods if they are caught in error,” he said.
Muwada urged the Ugandan government to review its approach to street vending and establish a more supportive regulatory environment for small-scale traders.
He also called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ministry responsible for East African Community affairs to engage their Kenyan counterparts diplomatically to ensure Ugandan traders are treated fairly.
Muwada warned that measures targeting Ugandan traders could undermine the East African Community’s principles of free movement of people, labour and trade.
“For us as people of Uganda, we want cordial relations. We want continuity of what unites us as the East African Community. We want free mobility within the East African region and we want to relate well with the people of Kenya,” he said.
He said Kenya remains a critical trade route for Uganda because of its proximity, noting that Uganda is landlocked and relies heavily on the Kenyan route for trade and transit.
Muwada further called for stronger implementation of EAC agreements governing cross-border labour and investment, arguing that Ugandans should be able to work and conduct business in Kenya while Kenyans enjoy similar opportunities in Uganda.
“Let’s have free movement of people, let’s have free trade, protect Ugandans in Kenya, and as well let Kenyans in Uganda be protected,” he said.
Muwada urged Kenyan authorities to address concerns surrounding foreign traders through lawful and diplomatic channels rather than allowing ordinary Ugandans to bear the consequences of disagreements between the two governments.
Kenya has since announced a 90-day period for affected foreign traders to regularise their immigration and business status, providing a temporary reprieve to nationals from Uganda and other East African countries.
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