The Ministry of Works and Transport has given car-bond operators along the Nakawa–Banda–Kireka section of the Kampala–Jinja Highway one month to clear out or face forceful eviction.
Permanent Secretary Bageya Waiswa on Wednesday said the dealers are occupying the legally protected road reserve in breach of Section 16(1) of the Roads Act 2019. “The encroachment has narrowed carriageways, blocked drainage channels and increased crash risks on a corridor that carries much of Uganda’s eastern trade,” he told reporters.
The notice, effective 27 June, offers a 30-day grace period for voluntary removal of vehicles, fences, containers and kiosks. After 27 July, the Ministry will demolish any remaining structures and recover the costs from the owners under Section 24(1) of the Act.
“This operation is non-negotiable. We are restoring the safety, capacity and integrity of a national highway vital to commuters and the economy,” Waiswa said.
Why the crackdown matters
The Kampala–Jinja Highway links the capital to eastern Uganda and the Kenyan border, funnelling regional freight to and from the Port of Mombasa. Years of unchecked roadside trading have squeezed traffic into single lanes, triggered chronic jams and left the road prone to flooding whenever drainage outlets are buried under parked cars.
Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, unveiling the 2025/26 infrastructure budget this month, backed the clean-up. “Efficient highways are the arteries of our economy; reclaiming road reserves is part of that investment,” he said.
Mixed reaction
Many motorists welcomed the decision. “If the bonds go, travel time will drop and accidents will fall,” said taxi driver Edward Mugisha, who plies the route daily. Some dealers, however, argued they were given licences by local authorities. The Ministry insists any permit issued contrary to the Roads Act is void.
What operators must do
-
Remove all vehicles, signage and fencing within 30 days.
-
Restore drainage channels they have covered.
-
Seek alternative premises outside the 15-metre road reserve.
The Works Ministry has asked Kampala Capital City Authority, Uganda National Roads Authority and the police to help enforce the directive.
If carried through, the operation will reopen the full width of the highway before planned resurfacing works begin later this year.
