Nebbi Municipality Council has given kiosk owners and food vendors in the Central Business District (CBD) a deadline to leave the area. The affected businesses are situated along Pithua Road, Uringi Road, Nebbi-Alwi-Pakwach Road, and within the market square. These traders had set up unauthorized structures like lock-ups, wooden booths, and eateries on the sidewalks without approval from the Municipality’s physical planning unit.
Geoffrey Ngeriker, the Mayor of Nebbi Municipality, has stated that the reason for evicting kiosk owners is to make way for the installation of streetlights, sidewalks, and the construction of a drainage system along the 33-kilometer Alwi-Nebbi Town road, which is currently under construction by China Railway 18th Bureau Group. Ngeriker has also suggested that the traders relocate to the new lorry park along Nebbi-Arua road and Abindu market.
However, some kiosk owners interviewed by local press expressed concerns about the impact of this decision on their businesses and livelihoods. They have urged municipal authorities to reconsider their decision. Joshua Kumakech, a kiosk owner at Pakwach stage in Nebbi Town, argued that the proposed lorry park lacks customers since the municipal council failed to attract traders to occupy it. Dickson Masendi, another trader, has requested additional time to relocate due to associated costs.
At present, several walkways in Nebbi Town are occupied by kiosks, makeshift food stalls, and various merchandise, including shoes and second-hand clothing.
In 2016, Nebbi Municipality Council carried out a similar eviction of street vendors due to security concerns, which resulted in many vendors losing their businesses.
