The Ministry of Works and Transport has kicked off evictions of encroachers along the Kampala –Mityana highway.
Many of the displaced traders are in the informal sector and claim they were caught unaware .However, government claims they issued a prior notice.
However, the operation, which officials said was aimed at clearing road reserves and drainage channels, quickly turned chaotic.
Traders scrambled to salvage their property , with some managing to rescue some while others watched helplessly as bulldozers crushed shops, kiosks, school signposts, and even fast-food outlets like KFC.
Among the hardest hit were traders who had borrowed heavily to finance their businesses.
“Our property is now wasted. Most of it was on loan,” one distressed trader explained
“We were never given enough warning. Even the few meters they had marked, we respected them — but still they destroyed everything. Now we have nothing left.”
Traffic ground to a halt as motorists and passers-by looked on, while Good Samaritans rushed in to help carry salvaged goods. A disabled man broke down as his container was crushed, saying: “This is unfair. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am, and now everything is gone in a matter of hours.”
Local leaders condemned the demolitions as unjust, warning that the sudden loss of livelihoods could push already struggling families deeper into poverty.
“This act has pushed people into poverty. Some have nothing to eat, and we fear this may trigger crime as people struggle to survive,” a village chairperson said.
But Mr Allan Sempebwa, a senior communication officer in the Ministry of Works and Transport, defended the crackdown , insisting that notices had been issued weeks in advance.
“We had already informed these people to vacate the road reserves and remove their businesses from water channels. This operation is necessary to prevent flooding and protect road infrastructure,” Sempebwa explained.
“Nobody was allowed to settle in these areas in the first place.”
The ministry says similar operations will continue across the country as part of efforts to preserve road reserves and safeguard infrastructure.
For the evicted traders, however, the government’s justification offers little comfort. With no compensation and no clear relocation plan, many are now left to start over from scratch, fueling calls for fairer treatment and support for those displaced by the demolitions.