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Councilors during the Arua city 20262027 FY budget approval. By Onzoma Albert Arua City Arua City Councilors have raised concerns regarding the enforcement of trade order activities across the city. They highlighted that the rural areas lack gazzetted markets
Councilors during the Arua city 20262027 FY budget approval.
By Onzoma Albert
Arua City
Arua City Councilors have raised concerns regarding the enforcement of trade order activities across the city.
They highlighted that the rural areas lack gazzetted markets and alternative shops, which complicates enforcement efforts.
During a council session to approve the 2026/2027 Arua city budget, councilors expressed community outcry over the removal of kiosks and makeshift stalls from trading centers without providing proper alternatives.
Hon Godfrey Anguyo, representing Ayivu North, advocates for phased enforcement in Perry urban areas, especially in Ayivu division, emphasizing the absence of designated trading spaces for vendors.
“There is no one in this council who is disagreeing with the trade order enforcement, we are here representing human beings so if you are removing kiosks from rural trading centers where there are no shops to accommodate the vendors where do you expect them to go, that is our concern as the representative of the people” he advocated.
Similarly, Hon Adia James Yoti, the city councilor representing Ayivu Central, appealed for considerate implementation, taking into account the ongoing development of trading centers.
“If the trade order enforcement was in our hands as the councilors, I was proposing that we start implementing it from the central business district considering the rural trading centers with only one or two shops it will be a surprise when those kiosks are removed where our people will get the services they need,” he appealed.
Arua City council speaker Yako Teddy Gloria, voiced concern over reduced revenue resulting from the trade order’s implementation, urging technical staff to consult for effective enforcement.
“Are we really going to realize local revenue because the impact of trade order enforcement is already seen on ground, I want to urge our technical staffs to consult when there is a directive from the ministry maybe we could guide them from one way or another, we could have started it from Arua central division and leave the upcoming trading centers and move slowly because we love the trade order but our problem is with the enforcement” she said.
In response, Hon Moses Adriko, the city secretary of finance, clarified that kiosks in rural parts have not been forcibly removed, but operators are advised to relocate from prohibited zones.
“It is not a directive from Arua city council but it is a countrywide activity, maybe what we can do is to guide the rural kiosk operators to that let them not put it on the road reserve or in front of already established shops but put it within the building lines to align with the already established shops” he guided.
The enforcement team’s recent actions, initiated on March 23, 2026, aim to clear streets, walkways, and drainage channels of illegal vendors and structures to improve sanitation, safety, and urban order.
These measures, however, have raised community concerns due to the lack of alternative trading spaces, especially in less developed areas, and the impact on local revenue.
The councilors are calling for more phased and considerate enforcement to balance urban order with community livelihoods.