The Katabi Town Council leadership has embarked on the sensitization move aimed at restoring orderly, safe and dignified trade in the town council. The exercise began on Tuesday during a community engagement in Mpala cell following a directive against all traders/operators to relocate their businesses to authorized places within seven (7) days.
During the meeting, the Katabi Town Council chairperson, Ronald Kalema noted that they had initiated the trade order process in the town council two years ago during the NAM summit preparations, and now they are just reminding those in the wrong places to shift.
“Those who don’t know that they are in the wrong places. We are now marking on such facilities with x and giving them an additional time of seven days to prepare and transfer,” he remarked.
The Katabi town council boss further added that this sensitisation period allows for dialogue, voluntary compliance and practical solutions to build a more orderly and inclusive town council.
“Our priority is to guide traders into safer, cleaner and better-organised spaces that support sustainable business,” he said.
When asked about how enforcement is being done in some areas, Kalema said that development must be people-centered, if Uganda is truly committed to “protecting the gains,” then the livelihoods of its most vulnerable citizens must be at the forefront of every policy decision.
According to Saudah Namala, the Katabi town council’s Town Clerk with the reference to the communication by the Permanent Secretary Ministryof Local Government dated 10th March, 2026 guiding on restoration of trade order in local governments, several businesses and activities are operating in unauthorized places contrary to the existing laws of Uganda including but not limited to the Trade (Licensing)Act, Cap 79 which mandates any person selling goods or services to possess avalid trading licence and operate only from designated areas.
She said that many businesses are operating in road reserves, over drainage channels, in front of other authorised businesses, under electric cable lines, in adjoined illegal structures on main structures.
“Other activities include parking, loading and offloading of passengers and goods from unauthorised areas and grazing of livestock within the Town Council jurisdiction contrary to the Animals (Straying) Act, Cap 50 which constitutes gross trade disorderliness, public nuisances, traffic jams, and this in turn has led to a negative impact on the local economic development of the Town,” Namala noted.
With the ongoing sensitisation efforts, Albert Mugambwa the Mpala cell chairperson appreciated the town council leadership for providing awareness to the community on the trade order process and encouraged the citizens to abide by the law.
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