By: Pascal Onega
Traders operating in Buliisa District have raised concerns over increasing congestion caused by hawkers along Biiso Boys Street, located behind Biiso Market in Biiso Town Council, saying the situation is hurting their businesses and reflects a broader urban management challenge across Uganda.
The complaints, voiced on Tuesday, highlight tensions between formal traders and informal vendors, a scenario that has become common in many growing urban centres across the country.
Kamutonda Godfrey and John Dan, traders dealing in clothes and electronics respectively, say hawkers especially on market days occupy spaces in front of their shops, blocking customer access and significantly affecting sales.
They argue that despite investing in rent and licenses, they are unable to attract customers due to the obstruction.
Cue in: Kamutonda and Dan in Lug
Other traders, including Brian Kugonza and Patrick Businge Mukana, echoed similar frustrations. They say hawkers have gone as far as displaying goods on shop verandahs, creating unfair competition and forcing formal businesses to operate at a loss.
Cue in: Kugonza and Businge in Lug
Immaculate Nyamuha, together with fellow traders, have called on local authorities to urgently intervene and restore order along the busy street.
Cue in: Nyamuha and others in Lug
The traders are now appealing for the relocation of hawkers to designated trading zones, arguing that this would allow both formal and informal businesses to coexist without disrupting each other.
Cue in: Traders on government intervention in Lug
The situation in Biiso Town Council mirrors similar efforts and challenges seen in other Ugandan cities working to streamline trade and improve urban order.
In Kampala, authorities under the Kampala Capital City Authority have in recent years intensified operations to remove street vendors from the central business district. The aim has been to de-congest the city, improve sanitation, and create a more organized trading environment.
Similarly, cities like Mbarara, Gulu, Fortportal and Hoima have implemented designated markets and enforced stricter regulations to keep vendors off streets and pavements.
These efforts are part of Uganda’s broader urbanization strategy, which seeks to balance the livelihoods of informal traders with the need for orderly, accessible, and clean urban spaces.
However, enforcement has often sparked debate, as many hawkers depend on street vending for survival, raising the need for inclusive solutions such as affordable market spaces and structured relocation plans.
When contacted, Biiso Town Clerk Godfrey Businge confirmed that his office has received multiple complaints from affected traders.
He revealed that enforcement officers have been instructed to begin operations to address the issue starting this Friday, signaling a move toward restoring order along Biiso Boys Street.
Cue in: Businge on enforcement Lug
As Biiso Town Council prepares to act, the unfolding situation underscores a delicate balance facing many Ugandan towns ensuring urban order while safeguarding livelihoods.
