Kampala city traders threatened to close their shops starting July 31, 2024, protesting over the government’s failure to address their grievances, particularly following a canceled meeting with President Yoweri Museveni.
The traders claim their decision comes after the Minister for Kampala, Minsa Kabanda, informed them, through a voice note, that the president would not meet them as scheduled at Kololo Independence Grounds, citing renovations as the reason.
While a few shops were closed downtown over the strike, most shops were opened and continued with their day-to-day activities.
During interviews carried out in downtown with shop owners that had opened on August 1, 2024, Halima Nanyonga revealed that most leaders who claim to protest have several businesses in and out of town, stating that it’s not the same with them who own a single shop in town.
“Those who claim to be our leaders are forcing us to close our shops in downtown, yet their branch shops out of town will stay open and conduct business as usual. At the end of the day, they will make money to feed their families, while us with single shops will go back home empty-handed with no food to eat for our families,” Nanyonga said.
David Kalinaki, a shop owner at the Qualicel building, said that not everyone wants to keep their shops closed, adding that the leaders were threatening those who will open to be banished from business SACCOs.
“Those who were planning to open shops today here at qualicel were threatened not to be able to access business SACCOs and loans. That is the main reason as to why all shops in this building are closed,” he stated.
This comes after the traders started a protest in demand for President Museveni to meet them and solve their complaints.
