A sweeping eviction and demolition exercise aimed at restoring order in trading centres and road reserves within Mukono has sparked growing accusations of selective enforcement, with traders and residents alleging that the operation is unfairly targeting small-scale business owners while politically connected and financially powerful individuals continue operating untouched.
The exercise, spearheaded by Mukono Municipal Council, was initially welcomed by sections of the community as part of a broader urban planning and beautification campaign intended to decongest roads, improve sanitation and create safer public spaces.
However, weeks into the enforcement drive, frustration is mounting among vendors and small business operators who claim the implementation has exposed deep inequalities in the municipality’s governance and planning systems.
Among the businesses reportedly affected were Sombe Kiosk, which operates at Sombe Supermarket, a mobile money kiosk in the face of the municipal council offices, and several roadside food stalls and wooden structures in areas such as Wantoni, Kikooza, Nabuti and Nasuuti.
Traders argue that while many low-income operators lost their livelihoods overnight, several businesses and structures located within similar road reserve zones were left untouched under unclear circumstances.
Particular attention has been drawn to Sanyu Restaurant located near Ssaza Grounds along Mulyanti Road. Residents and nearby traders allege that the restaurant has continued operating despite expanding its structure close to the road reserve area shortly before the enforcement exercise began.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the restaurant allegedly transformed from temporary tent structures into a more permanent concrete establishment after receiving information that the crackdown would mainly target metallic containers and wooden kiosks.
Some traders further claim that the restaurant enjoys protection because municipal officials and members of the planning department frequently take meals there, allegations that municipal authorities have not publicly addressed.
The accusations have fueled public suspicion that the operation may not be guided solely by planning regulations, but also by influence, connections and financial muscle.
At the same time, some larger structures believed to have been constructed in road reserve areas were demolished, including a property belonging to a businessman commonly known as PESA, who is associated with flower decoration and traditional ceremony events.
The demolished premises reportedly included both business facilities and workers’ residential quarters.
For many small-scale traders, the inconsistency in enforcement has become the central issue.
Fred Mpanga, a vendor whose kiosk in Kikooza was demolished, said many traders initially accepted the evictions believing they were part of a national urban development programme.
“We thought this was intended to improve the municipality for everyone, but what is happening now makes it appear like the poor are simply being pushed out of strategic business areas,” he said.
Another resident, Onesmus Muganga, described the exercise as a system that risks widening the economic gap between wealthy investors and ordinary traders.
“Development should benefit everyone equally. What people are seeing instead is a process where the poor are removed and the rich are quietly allowed back,” Muganga said.
Indeed, this publication observed renewed kiosk-like structures reappearing in parts of Wantoni, Nabuti and Nasuuti shortly after the demolitions. Some residents allege that enforcement officers have allowed certain operators to return after reaching unofficial arrangements with them.
Urban governance experts warn that such perceptions, whether true or not, can severely damage public trust in local authorities.
Selective application of trade and planning laws carries significant economic and social risks. When enforcement appears inconsistent, investors lose confidence in regulatory systems, corruption opportunities increase and small businesses become vulnerable to exploitation.
Economists note that informal traders form a critical part of Uganda’s urban economy, especially in municipalities such as Mukono where youth unemployment remains high and many families depend on roadside businesses for survival.
Experts further argue that abrupt demolitions without transparent relocation plans can deepen poverty, increase unemployment and fuel tensions between communities and authorities.
Fair urban planning, analysts say, requires consistency, public participation and equal treatment regardless of political influence or economic status.
Attempts to obtain clear explanations from Mukono Municipal authorities regarding the criteria used in the evictions have so far yielded little response.
Town Clerk Francis Byabagambi and Municipal Senior Planner Hilary Mulungi have remained hesitant to publicly explain why some structures were spared while others were demolished.
Nevertheless, some leaders continue defending the exercise.
Julius Mukwanya, President of the Mukono Municipal Development Forum, maintained that the operation is necessary for organized urban development and urged residents not to politicize the process.
He argued that restoring order in trading centres is important for public safety, traffic flow and long-term municipal planning.
Even so, pressure is steadily building on municipal authorities to demonstrate transparency and consistency in the implementation of the trade order operation.
For many traders in Mukono, the issue is no longer simply about demolition of kiosks, but whether the law is being applied equally to all citizens.
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