KAMPALA – The trade order implementation, previously suspended by the government, is to continue as originally planned, with additional measures introduced to address emerging concerns.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The development was revealed in a press statement issued on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, by the Minister of Local Government, Raphael Magyezi, following a Cabinet meeting held earlier this week on Monday.
In the statement, the government agreed that the implementation shall proceed while introducing additional measures to address challenges from the initial rollout.
The Ministry of Local Government announced a series of enhancements to make the policy both effective and compassionate, including stepped-up community sensitization and the creation of an interministerial task force.
Further measures include reassigning traders without formal market space to new working locations and encouraging local governments to establish weekly market days in convenient areas.
The government indicates that its directive is to restore order in cities and municipalities while ensuring traders operate in safe, designated, and lawful spaces.
Under the Trade (Licensing) Act Cap 101, local governments have been instructed to relocate traders from streets, walkways, pavements, verandas, back streets, and sanitary lanes into formal trading spaces.
Local governments have also been directed to enhance law enforcement by licensing all trade, approving development requests under the Building Control Act, streamlining public transport, and implementing their own trade order strategies.
It should be noted that on March 10, 2026, the Ministry of Local Government initially directed all Chief Administrative Officers, Town Clerks, and Municipal Councils to enforce strict guidelines aimed at creating an organized, clean, and healthy business environment.
The enforcement was put on hold last week following complaints from traders, religious leaders, and the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda.
The complaints served as the basis for the suspension, with the government confirming that further consultations will take place before any operation resumes.
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