Across Uganda’s growing towns and cities, a familiar scene plays out repeatedly: enforcement teams move to clear street vendors from sidewalks and roadsides, goods are confiscated, traders scatter, and within days they return. This cycle has become one of the most visible contradictions of urban governance in our country.

On one hand, city authorities are mandated to maintain order, sanitation, and proper urban planning. On the other hand, thousands of Ugandans rely on street vending as their primary source of income in an economy where formal jobs remain limited.

In recent months, the debate around street vending and informal trading has once again come to the forefront in many urban centers across Uganda. City authorities continue to struggle with how to maintain order on our streets while responding to the economic realities faced by thousands of citizens who depend on small-scale trading for survival.

The question we must ask ourselves is simple: are we managing this reality wisely, or are we fighting a battle that cannot be won through enforcement alone?

From Kampala to Gulu to Lira and across all cities and urban centres, street vending is no longer a temporary phenomenon. It has become a permanent feature of our urban economy.

For Lira City, and many cities or urban authorities in Uganda and Africa, this challenge presents not only a governance dilemma but also an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in building an inclusive and resilient urban economy together with the citizens.

Street vendors are often viewed primarily through the lens of congestion, sanitation concerns, and non-compliance with city regulations. While these concerns are legitimate and must be addressed more urgently, we must also recognize the deeper economic context of our time. Street vending is often a response to limited formal employment opportunities, rising living costs, and the determination of citizens to earn an honest living.

Across Uganda, the informal economy accounts for a large share of employment. Many families depend on daily incomes generated through vending food, agricultural produce, clothing, and household goods. These activities are not simply informal; they are a vital part of the economic ecosystem that keeps our cities functioning.

Attempts to eliminate street vending through enforcement alone rarely produce lasting solutions. Traders return because they have few alternatives. In the process, confrontations between vendors and enforcement officers can undermine trust in local governance and deepen economic vulnerability.

Fortunately, cities around the world have demonstrated that there are better ways to manage this challenge.

In Durban, South Africa, the municipality introduced one of the most recognized informal trader management systems in Africa. The city established structured trading markets and built infrastructure such as shelters, storage facilities, sanitation, and organized vending stalls. Rather than pushing traders out of the city center, Durban integrated them into urban planning. Today, thousands of traders operate in designated spaces that are clean, organized, and economically vibrant.

In Bangkok, Thailand, authorities developed regulated vending zones and time-based trading arrangements. Certain streets are used for pedestrian and commercial activities during the day and open up for street food vendors in the evening. This flexible use of urban space has allowed the city to preserve its famous street food culture while managing traffic and sanitation.

Similarly, Street vending in Mexico City is a deeply entrenched, largely informal economic activity with over 500,000 vendors. Mexico City has worked with vendor cooperatives to organize traders into structured associations.  Through registration systems and designated areas, authorities have been able to maintain order while recognizing street vendors as legitimate economic actors.

Even in New York City in the United States, one of the world’s most regulated urban environments, street vendors operate legally through a licensing and permit system. Vendors selling food, crafts, and other goods contribute to the city’s cultural and economic life while complying with health and safety standards.

These global experiences highlight an important lesson: the most successful cities do not attempt to eliminate street vending. Instead, they manage it intelligently.

As the Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry continues to advocate for enterprise development and inclusive economic growth, we believe that cities such as Lira can pioneer practical solutions that balance urban order with economic opportunity.

One practical step is the establishment of designated vending zones where traders can operate in an organized manner without obstructing public movement. Another is the introduction of simple and affordable vendor registration systems, allowing traders to operate legally while enabling the city to improve planning and generate modest revenue.

Investment in basic trading infrastructure such as covered stalls, waste management facilities, water access points, and sanitation services, can also transform informal trading spaces into productive commercial hubs.

Equally important is dialogue. Sustainable solutions emerge when city authorities engage with traders and business associations. Structured consultation platforms can help ensure that regulations are both practical and respected.

Cities around the world increasingly recognize that informal economies are not temporary phenomena; they are a permanent feature of urban life, particularly in developing economies. The goal should therefore not be elimination but effective management and gradual integration into formal economic systems. The strategy of using force to eliminate street vending will be temporary, disruptive, expensive, inconsequential and unsustainable

For Lira, the question is not whether street vendors exist, they already do. The real question is whether the city will continue to confront them through periodic enforcement or choose a more innovative path that aligns economic development with inclusive governance.

By embracing thoughtful policies that organize and support informal traders, Lira has the potential to become a model secondary city in Uganda, one that demonstrates how urban order and economic opportunity can coexist.

If we get this right, Lira City will not only manage street vending better; it will strengthen its position as a thriving commercial hub for the entire Lango sub-region.

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