Uganda Revenue Authority Removes Tax Office Container After Public Uproar Over Evictions

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has removed its tax office container  following mounting public criticism over what many described as double standards in the enforcement of street vendor evictions in Kampala’s Central Business District (CBD).

The container, which had occupied the busy Kikuubo pedestrian walkway for months, became a flashpoint after the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) began enforcing its directive to clear traders from streets, walkways, and other non-gazetted trading spaces.

As KCCA intensified operations in line with a February 5 ultimatum that took effect on February 19, members of the public questioned why a government agency structure remained stationed on a pedestrian walkway while small-scale traders were being removed for obstructing similar spaces.

Images and commentary circulating on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), amplified the criticism, with many users describing the situation as evidence of selective enforcement of city regulations.

URA announced on Sunday that the container would be removed on Monday, effectively bowing to public pressure.

Authorities maintain that the broader enforcement campaign is aimed at streamlining business activities and compelling street vendors to relocate to designated markets.

However, the presence of the tax office container on a pedestrian walkway had drawn sharp criticism, with observers arguing that city order regulations should apply uniformly to both informal traders and government institutions.