Business 5 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Kamuli Traders Devastated as 68 Lock-Ups Revert to Municipal Council
Minister Raphael Magyezi has ordered 68 expired lock-up leases in Kamuli to return to the Municipal Council, leaving traders in tears and shock. Officials plan a fair reallocation prioritizing active traders amid calls for calm negotiations. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/kamuli-traders-in-tears-as-68-lock-ups-are-returned-to-council--5448326
Traders in Kamuli are reeling from a directive by Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi, who ruled that 68 lock-ups must revert to the Kamuli Municipal Council after their 20-year leases expired in 2023. The order took effect on May 1, 2026, banning street vending and requiring all business from designated areas.
Magyezi instructed enforcement teams to carry out evictions compassionately, letting traders retrieve their goods and structures unless they resist. He stressed urban planning improvements, including public-private partnerships for safer commercial spaces.
Kamuli Traders and Businessmen chairperson Mubarak Isabirye called the move shocking, blaming mishandled and politicized prior talks. He vowed to stay calm and seek solutions favoring original tenants for a mutually beneficial outcome.
Some traders admitted overlooking lease deadlines, while others criticized council for high renewal fees of 5 million shillings and poor communication. Municipal Clerk Stanislaus Mangasa noted notifications were issued, but many politicized the issue.
Mangasa announced an allocation committee to prioritize active traders, limiting each to one lock-up. Future leases will be annual, with the council as the main landlord under strict rules.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)