Lira street vendors protest eviction

Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Vendors in Lira have protested their planned eviction from the streets.  Last week, Lira City Council gave the vendors an ultimatum of five days to leave the streets.

However, this directive has been rejected by the more than 500 vendors selling tomatoes, sweet bananas, and second-hand clothes.

The vendors say that they will not leave the streets because the new markets where they were transferred lack power and adequate sanitary facilities.

Sadic Okwir, a shoe seller along the main street says the gazetted markets are far away from the city center and can’t be accessed by the customers.

Chris Odongo, the Chairperson of Lira City Street Vendors Association said some of the open markets are not only scarcely populated but also hardly accessible.

Edward Kiwanuka, the Town Clerk Lira City says street vending has caused inconveniences and congestion in the city. He says that some of the open markets are yet to be occupied by vendors.

Some of the gazetted markets in the city are Ireda, Junior Quarters, Gomba Lira, Camp Swahili.

However, Patrick Ogweng, the Lira City Deputy Clerk asked the vendors to relocate to the empty markets.

Ogweng attributed the high rate of accidents in the city to the congestion of the street vendors.

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