Terror on Kampala streets: Vendors speak out on KCCA’s brutal enforcements

On the different streets of Kampala, where vendors tirelessly hustle to make ends meet, KCCA law enforcement officers have become a force feared by many.

The Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), charged with keeping the streets orderly, often launches operations against vendors selling in unauthorized areas.

However, what should be a routine exercise has turned into a nightmare for those caught on the wrong side of the law.

“They treat us like criminals,” said Sarah Namulindwa, a mother of three, her eyes filled with pain.

Namulindwa recalls the day she felt the wrath of KCCA enforcement. Selling fruit at the edge of the bustling Old Taxi Park to feed her family, she was suddenly seized by officers in KCCA enforcement uniforms.

“They beat me, took my goods, and threw me onto their truck like I was a thief,” she recounts.

Namulindwa’s story is echoed by many others. Innocent Mugume, another vendor, narrates his ordeal with equal bitterness. “They kicked me in front of my children. They didn’t care if I was complying or not. All they see is an enemy.”

He adds that while he understands the need for order, the brutality exhibited by the officers is unforgivable.

These operations are part of KCCA’s long-standing effort to rid Kampala’s streets of illegal vendors.

However, the methods used have raised serious human rights concerns. The officers, often accused of wearing casual clothes to surprise vendors, don’t hesitate to use excessive force.

“You don’t even have a chance to explain yourself,” Mugume laments. “Once they target you, it’s over.”

In response, KCCA officials have maintained that they are only enforcing the law and that vendors who resist arrest are to blame for the escalation.

“We give clear warnings and designated areas for vending. Those who refuse to comply must face the consequences,” KCCA spokesperson told the media.

However, this justification fails to ease the pain for vendors who have lost both their dignity and livelihoods in these operations.

But it’s not just the vendors who are affected. Witnesses to these scenes often describe the brutality as shocking.

John Ssewanyana, a boda boda rider who witnessed an arrest, said, “One vendor was beaten until he couldn’t walk. The officers threw his tomatoes on the ground, and they didn’t care that the man was bleeding.”

For vendors like Namulindwa and Mugume, the threat of losing their goods and suffering violent arrests hangs over them every day.

“I have to feed my children. If I don’t work, we don’t eat. But every day I sell on the street, I’m terrified,” added Namulindwa, her voice cracking.

As calls for reform grow louder, it remains to be seen whether KCCA will change its tactics or if the city’s most vulnerable workers will continue to bear the brunt of the city’s aggressive enforcement.

Until then, Kampala’s streets will remain a battlefield where vendors risk everything just to survive.