The Minister for Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, has directed Mubende Municipal Council to implement a series of measures aimed at restoring order in the municipality, improving road safety, and enhancing local revenue collection.
While meeting vendors, traders, transport operators, and officials of Mubende Municipal Council, the minister instructed the council to clearly mark all designated passenger offloading stages with signposts and gazette official bus terminals to ease congestion, improve road safety, and enhance the security of passengers.
He emphasized that all passengers must board and disembark only at gazetted taxi and bus parks, adding that Mubende Municipal Council should collect all lawful taxes and fees from buses operating within the municipality.
Hon. Barugahara also ordered vendors selling roasted meat and other food items along the roadsides to relocate to the areas already designated for them by the council, noting that roadside vending poses a danger to both vendors and motorists and contributes to health hazards due to dust and the risk of road accidents.
The minister further directed that these measures be strictly enforced through a joint operation involving Mubende Municipal Council enforcement officers and the Uganda Police Force. He warned that anyone found violating the new regulations would face action in accordance with the law.
Later, during a visit to Mubende Central Market, Hon. Barugahara was informed by some vendors that they had been unfairly evicted from their stalls. He condemned what he described as corrupt practices by powerful individuals who had taken over stalls meant for legitimate vendors and low-income earners.
The minister assured the affected traders that they would regain their stalls and instructed the Mayor, Town Clerk, and the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) to immediately rectify the situation, ensure transparency in stall allocation, and restore fairness in the management of the market.
The minister’s intervention was warmly received by vendors and traders, who expressed optimism that the reforms and strict enforcement measures would restore order, improve business operations, strengthen revenue collection, and protect the livelihoods of genuine traders in Mubende.