Traders at Nakawa Market have rejected plans by the government to take over the facility, demanding compensation for investments they made in constructing stalls and developing the market.
The traders say they entered into an agreement with the then Kampala City Council (KCC) in 1995 to develop the market themselves after the council said it lacked sufficient funds to construct the facility.
Led by their chairman, George William Bunjo, the traders on Friday petitioned Kampala Lord Mayor Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga at City Hall, seeking his intervention over a letter issued by Kampala Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Umar Lule Mawiya informing them that the government had taken over the market.Bunjo said the traders invested their own money, including funds obtained through bank loans, to develop the market under the agreement with KCC.
“In 1995, the government did not have the money to build the market, so we agreed with KCC and took loans from banks to construct it ourselves,” Bunjo said.
He said individual traders began constructing their stalls in 2000, with each trader responsible for developing and managing their own stall.Bunjo said the traders could not simply be ordered to leave after investing their money in the market.
“We are not going to leave this place until we are compensated for the money we invested in constructing these stalls,” he said.
The traders argue that the government should first assess and compensate them for their investments before implementing any takeover or eviction.
They said the communication from the RCC declaring that the government had taken over the market had created uncertainty among traders who have operated at the facility for years.The traders have vowed to continue occupying the market until their concerns are addressed.
Responding to the petition, Lord Mayor Ronald Balimwezo said disputes over the ownership and management of several markets in Kampala had persisted for years, citing Owino, Nakivubo and Bugoloobi markets.Balimwezo, however, said traders who personally invested in constructing stalls should not be removed without compensation.
“If someone constructed a stall in the market using their own money, it is wrong to remove that person without compensating them,” Balimwezo said.
He assured the Nakawa traders that he would support their call for compensation and said he would push for the matter to be considered in the 2026/2027 budget.
“We are on the same side. In the 2026/2027 budget, we shall ask the government to provide for compensation for these people,” Balimwezo said.
The traders are now calling for dialogue involving the government, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and affected traders to establish the value of their investments and agree on compensation before any further action is taken.
