Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Traders operating in St Balikuddembe Market, commonly known as Owino Market, have raised concerns over lack of prior notice, loss of property, and insecurity following the recent demolition of structures near the Nakivubo Channel reserve.
During a meeting with the Executive Director of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Sharifah Buzeki, traders said they were caught off guard by the demolition exercise and many only learned about it after their businesses had already been destroyed.
David Kimuri said he never received an eviction notice and only found out through news reports that his business had been demolished. Another trader, Hamuza Kasumba, said he was attending a burial when he received information that unknown individuals were demolishing businesses in the market. He argued that traders should have been notified earlier so they could prepare.
Joyce Namisango, who operates two lockups at Kivumbi House, said the structures housing her businesses were demolished while she was in the village. She added that she later heard claims that some traders had been offered three million shillings each to vacate their businesses.
Another trader, Charles Wekesa, said he woke up to find the demolition already underway, adding that at least three stores were affected.
Sumaya Kembuga, a produce trader, said she heard at around 5 p.m. that the demolition was about to take place. She alleged that the people carrying out the demolition wore shoes with sharp spikes, making it difficult for traders to approach them, and that several properties were destroyed.
Amid the complaints, the Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority, Sharifah Buzeki, asked market leaders to compile a formal report detailing the traders’ grievances following the incident.
Buzeki said the meeting revealed several concerns affecting traders, including the lack of security after the demolition of the market’s perimeter wall, absence of sanitation facilities, and poor communication between authorities and traders.
She noted that the market currently lacks a gate following the demolition, which has raised fears among traders about the safety of their merchandise. Buzeki also pointed to gaps in communication, saying the Market Master should have served as a link between authorities and traders by sharing information about the developments.
She said she had directed the Market Master to compile details about who instructed traders to close their businesses to allow the demolition to proceed.. According to Buzeki, KCCA values the traders and will provide feedback on their concerns as early as Tuesday this week. She also addressed the issue of the demolished perimeter wall, noting that the law prohibits making structural changes to a building without proper clearance.
Some traders alleged that the individuals who carried out the demolition could have been agents of businessman Hamis Kiggundu because they wore jackets branded “HAM.” However, Buzeki cautioned that wearing such branded clothing does not necessarily mean the individuals were employees of the businessman. She urged the public to allow police to carry out investigations to establish who was responsible.
She confirmed that some suspects linked to the incident have already been arraigned before court and advised traders to avoid discussing details that could interfere with the judicial process. Buzeki also reassured traders that KCCA holds the land title for Owino Market and that its boundaries are clearly defined.
She dismissed rumours that the authority intends to evict traders from the market, saying the claims have caused unnecessary panic. The Executive Director gave the Market Master one week to compile the traders’ grievances and submit a formal report to her office.
The demolition has since triggered legal action. Businessman Moses Namatiti, through his company Namex Ministries Limited, recently filed a civil suit against Hamis Kiggundu and his company Kiham Enterprises Limited, jointly with the Kampala District Land Board and Kampala Capital City Authority, seeking five billion shillings in compensation for losses allegedly incurred by traders.
Meanwhile, four suspects have been charged before the Buganda Road Court over their alleged involvement in the demolition. They include Hamuza Mayanja, a Tanzanian national and machine operator residing in Ndejje in Makindye Ssabagabo; Joseph Emillan Ssekiddu of Rubaga Division; Regean Kabuye, an askari attached to HAM Building; and Robert Sande Kanjako, a watchman residing in Kabowa in Makindye Division.
Prosecution told court that the accused and others still at large allegedly carried out the demolition during the night of March 7–8, 2026, in School View and Market View zones in Kisenyi Parish, Central Division.
The suspects are accused of willfully and unlawfully demolishing two buildings and a resource centre structure belonging to Moses Namatiti Kasajja, as well as a commercial building belonging to the St Balikuddembe Market Stalls Space and Lock‑up Shops Owners Association Limited.
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