ENTEBBE.
A section of vendors in Entebbe Municipality have accused area leaders of allocating shops and stalls in the newly -constructed Kitooro Taxi Park among themselves.
According to Mr Dennis Magezi, a former vendor in Kitooro Taxi park they were evicted from Kitooro Taxi Park to pave way for construction of new park with a promise of getting lock-ups once the park opens, but we were surprised that none of them was considered.
“It is the leaders especially municipal councilors who shared shops among themselves leaving us stranded. ’’ he said during an interview on Saturday
The park, which sits on an acre, was constructed by the government under Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development Programme (USMID) at a tune of Shs 10 billion secured from the World Bank.
When construction works kicked off in 2017 , more than 100 vendors were pushed to streets in Entebbe Town and the project was completed in January 2025.
“We are so sad that trade in Entebbe is going down gradually because of the unfaithfulness of municipal council political leadership. We would be operating in the taxi park , but it is desolate because the lock-ups were given to politicians,” Mr Magezi said
Some vendors, who have been operating in containers on road sides since 2017 have been given 14 days to vacate to pave way for road construction works- a decision they have rejected.
“We’ve received letters telling us to vacate the streets, yet the park is not available for us. The people who have got stalls and lockups in the park are not traders. They are politicians and people from the technical wing of municipal council, and now they are hiring them out at a fee of Shs 600,000 each which is exorbitantly high .’’
Mr Francis Ntundubaire, who had a business in Kitooro Taxi Park was equally incensed.
“Our leaders have really betrayed us ,they told us to sign documents to confirm that we will be given first priority when the modern structure is completed , but what is surprising is that when the list came back, our names were missing . Right now, we don’t know where to go because the leaders have taken over the shops,’’ he said.
Ms Margaret Byaleero , another affected vendor said: “I was promised that after construction of the park, I would be given back my shop, but to my dismay , I wasn’t given priority. I’m speaking for many more others. We need justice.’’
She further noted that much as Authorities gave them letters to remove containers from the streets, they (leaders) have gone ahead to set up containers in the taxi park.
Mr John Mugabi, the Director for Liberty and Economic Development, who is also the Chairperson Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Entebbe said it is surprising that leaders who are supposed to protect the vendors are the ones who took the lock-ups. “We have information that many councilors got lock-ups in the taxi park,we are going to use all possible avenues to see that the vendors get justice .’’
Entebbe Town Clerk ,Mr Emmanuel Mugisha Gakyalo ,said the new taxi park was constructed by council to generate revenue and all people are free to get lock-ups.
“So, council has the leverage to allocate space to people who are able to pay for the rent including leaders, there’s no law barring leaders from owning lock-ups in taxi parks ,”he said ,adding ” the issue I can listen to is that of people who were landlords in the old taxi park ,” he said