Authorities in Masaka City have issued a stern warning to boda boda riders, taxi operators, and owners of buildings constructed without approved plans.
According to city authorities those are going to be the next targets in an ongoing enforcement operation aimed at restoring order in the city.
The warning was issued by the Nyendo–Mukungwe Division Town Clerk, Prosper Tagobya, during a citywide exercise targeting illegal roadside businesses that officials say have long contributed to congestion and disorder.
Tagobya said the operation follows repeated concerns over street congestion caused by kiosks, makeshift structures, and unauthorized businesses, many of which have been operating along major roads and even attached to stationary vehicles.
City authorities have already demolished kiosks, containers, and temporary food stalls along key roads including Elgin Road, Edward Avenue, and Hobert Street. Mechanics operating along roadside spaces were also affected in the operation.
The crackdown has, however, left many traders and workers stranded, with affected vendors appealing for government intervention and proper relocation plans.
“We are over 500 youths who have been working from this area, but now we have been chased away without any clear relocation plan,” some of the affected workers said.
“Spare parts businesses are not something you can just move anywhere. All these areas you see had customers who depended on us. We request authorities to first provide us with a designated place before evicting us.”
Others said they had no option of returning to their villages, having already sold their land to settle in the city.
“We cannot go back to the villages because we sold our land. Now we are left with nowhere to go,” they added.
Some traders warned that the evictions could increase youth unemployment and potentially lead to rising crime, as many have lost their only source of income.
“You gave us money under the Parish Development Model (PDM), but now you have destroyed the businesses we invested in. Our children depend on us, and now we are suffering,” some traders lamented.
In response, Tagobya said the city is open to engaging affected persons who have alternative relocation plans.
“Those with alternative places can formally write to the Town Clerk’s office, and we shall assess how best to support them. We are also exploring ways of organizing designated working areas,” he said.
He, however, emphasized that the enforcement exercise will continue in phases.
“We started with kiosks and illegal structures. Next, we shall streamline boda boda riders and taxi operators by relocating them to gazetted parks. We shall also take action against individuals constructing buildings without approved plans,” Tagobya warned.
The operation marks a broader effort by Masaka City authorities to enforce urban planning regulations, though concerns remain over its social and economic impact on affected residents.