The Kampala arcade owners, in a surprising turn of events, have been accused of colluding with the leaders of the Federation of Trade Unions and Associations (FUTA), which is headed by John Kabanda, to instigate a strike among local traders by closing their buildings and leaving traders stranded outside.
The alliance between the arcade owners and Kabanda to lock out traders who had turned up to open their businesses has raised concerns about the motives and intentions of their landlords and leaders, yet they will go ahead and demand full rent.
According to Ephraim Mujuni, a trader from down town, Kabanda is just a senior con man who wastes no chance to benefit from other people’s sweat.
“Last time he collected money from Dr. Kizza Besigye and Bobi Wine to incite us into striking; now he is colluding with landlords who have locked their buildings to force us into a strike that has nothing to do with us; we don’t qualify for most of those taxes,” Mujuni said.
Mujuni added that the landlords are not serious either, because they let Kabanda influence them into locking the traders out. He further claimed that they were worried the goods would be destroyed and stolen.
“These landlords behave like they have our best interests at heart, yet their aim is to make us fail to pay rent; they chase us out and rent the space to another tenant who will pay for a year or six months in advance,’ Mujuni added.
The traders claimed that the arcade owners closing their buildings has negatively impacted their businesses, resulting in serious losses and demages for those dealing in perishable goods.
Reports surrounding the traders’ strike suggest that arcade owners have been meeting with FUTA leaders to strategize on ways to pressure traders into striking. Sources indicate that these discussions revolve around joint efforts to manipulate market conditions, aiming to create a sense of urgency among traders to halt operations.
The collusion has been seen as a tactic to strengthen the bargaining position of arcade owners, who are facing increasing competition and operational challenges.
By encouraging a strike, they hope to disrupt the market and gain leverage in negotiations regarding operational costs and regulations.
Impact of Strike on Traders
Based on the random sampling carried out around the city business center on August 1, 2024, many traders depend on daily sales to sustain their livelihoods, and a prolonged strike could lead to significant financial losses.
The situation has created a huge gap within the community, with some traders advocating for action against the arcade owners, while others fear the repercussions of a strike.
The traders have called for transparency and accountability from arcade owners and have demanded for the arcades to be opened so that they continue with their businesses uninterrupted.