City Bazaar vendors appeal to KCCA over new landowner rent demands

KAMPALA - Vendors at City Bazaar Market have appealed to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to intervene following demands for rent by city tycoon John Bosco Muwonge, who recently took over the land on which the market sits.

Muwonge’s move to reclaim and manage the market comes after the government failed to fulfil a pledge to purchase the land on behalf of the vendors.

The landowner, frustrated by delays, has now repossessed the property and implemented sweeping changes in its administration, including dissolving the existing vendors' leadership headed by Richard Lubega and installing his own management team.

Under the new leadership, vendors have been asked to start paying monthly rent for their stalls and shops. The rental charges, however, have sparked outrage.

Traders report that strategically located shops near the roadside are being charged between Shs 500,000 and Shs 100,000 monthly, while stalls inside the market are being charged between Shs 30,000 and Shs 50,000.

Government’s pledge to purchase the market

The current standoff follows a public commitment made by the government during a visit to the market by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja.

During her tour of City Bazaar Market in Kisenyi, Nabbanja assured vendors that the government would buy the land from Muwonge to secure permanent working space for the street vendors and hawkers who had been relocated there.

Under the new leadership, vendors have been asked to start paying monthly rent for their stalls and shops. The rental charges, however, have sparked outrage. (Credit: Moses Kigongo)

The Prime Minister emphasised that the government was keen on supporting small-scale traders and promised that funds would be allocated to purchase the land to prevent any future evictions or interference. However, despite her assurances, the transaction has never materialized—leaving vendors in a state of uncertainty and exposed to private interests.

“We were never asked to pay rent before,” said former chairperson Richard Lubega.

“This market was allocated to us by the government, with a promise to buy the land from Muwonge after we were removed from the city streets. The current developments are deeply disappointing.”

Annet Nagujja, a fruit vendor, expressed frustration over what she described as political interference.

“President Museveni promised to buy this land for us, but some people—government mafias—have hijacked the process to benefit from the deal. They want to act as brokers and take a cut from the payment meant for Muwonge,” she claimed.

The traders are now calling on President Museveni to personally intervene in the matter, warning that the eviction of poor vendors from the market could force them back onto the streets—derailing KCCA’s Smart City initiative aimed at creating an organised, vendor-free city center.

Under the Smart City strategy, KCCA envisions a well-structured urban environment where informal trade is transitioned into designated markets. However, vendors argue that this vision cannot be realised if they are denied access to affordable, formal trading spaces.

KCCA responds

When contacted for comment, KCCA spokesperson Daniel NuweAbine confirmed that the authority is aware of the ongoing issues at City Bazaar Market and is working on possible solutions.

“We are currently registering vendors across various government markets to assess where space is available,” NuweAbine said. “Our aim is to relocate vendors who are being displaced from City Bazaar to markets where there is capacity.”

He called on vendors to remain patient as the registration process continues, promising that KCCA will explore ways to settle the affected traders as soon as feasible.