Masaka to eliminate hawkers as struggle for business heightens
Some of the vendors along the streets of Masaka town. Traders have drafted an official petition to the municipal council demanding for a bylaw eliminating hawkers from the town as well as restrictions on street vending. Courtesy Photo
Masaka municipal council authorities are considering a total ban on street hawking in a bid to protect traders in shopping malls.
Masaka Municipal Development Forum (MDF), which acts as link between local leaders and local community, is spearheading the campaign to push council to enact a bylaw prohibiting hawking.
Vincent Zziwa Kasumba, the MDF Chairperson says traders are concerned by the increasing numbers of hawkers and street vendors with whom they compete for the same customers yet they pay trading licenses on top of other operational costs.
He says influx of hawkers is impacting heavily on business in the town, which calls for the introduction of controls.
"In Masaka municipal council traders pay license, rent, income tax, electricity and toilet services. However, you find vendors selling the same items traders who pay all the above taxes are supposed to be selling. Is that fair?" Vincent Kasumba said.
Kasumba says they have drafted an official petition to the municipal council demanding for a bylaw eliminating hawkers from the town as well as restrictions on street vending.
He argues that besides frustrating business, many of the hawkers operating in the area are aliens from Burundi and Congo, which raises security fears.
The hawkers are involved in the sale of shoes, jewelry, belts, perfumes, cosmetics and toys usually at lower costs compared to the shops.
Godfrey Kayemba, the Masaka Municipal mayor confirms receiving the concerns of the forum, saying the council will deliberate on the matter and find solutions.
He, however, blames some of the shop owners for deploying street venders in the pursuits to maximizing their sales.
John Bahengane, the Town Clerk Masaka Municipality, says the proposal to eliminate the hawkers has come at an opportune time when they are looking forward to restoring trade order in the town.
“We cannot allow them because first of all, we need to know them, they also require hawkers’ licenses because we are also concerned about our security. We must identify people who come and do business in our area, hawking should not be something anyone can do at any time they feel like it,” he said.
