Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki convened urgent talks with arcade traders on Tuesday, vowing swift action against skyrocketing rents and crippling electricity bills plaguing the city’s bustling commercial hubs.
The high-stakes meeting at Aponye Hotel united voices from the Federation of Uganda Traders Association (FUTA), Uganda Traders and Entrepreneurs Association (UTEA), Kampala Arcade Traders Advocacy, and owners from key arcades like 3Gs, NETA Uganda, and Tulazane Shoe Dealers.
Traders laid bare a litany of grievances: illegal rent hikes without tenancy agreements, landlords flouting the mandatory two-month notice under the Landlord and Tenant Act 2022, and outrageous power charges that threaten their very survival.
“We are drowning under unfair practices,” declared Edward Ntale, UTEA Chairperson, his voice echoing the desperation of hundreds. “Landlords jack up rents overnight and hit us with exorbitant bills. In some spots, when we install Yaka meters to track our usage, they rip them out. We demand protection—now—and real, lasting fixes.”
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Hajjat Buzeki, lauded for her hands-on leadership, didn’t mince words. She praised the traders’ courage in speaking out and pledged KCCA’s full firepower to resolve the crisis. “We came to listen first, to grasp your pain before we confront the landlords and stakeholders,” she affirmed.
Teaming up with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, KCCA will crack down on rogue rents, enforce tenancy pacts, and secure prepaid Yaka meters for all.
The dialogue didn’t stop at utilities—it tackled waste management and the push for spotless premises to boost arcade appeal. Urging unity, Buzeki rallied traders: “Stay strong and collaborative as we forge ahead. Your shops pulse with Kampala’s economic lifeblood. We’re building a fair playground where you thrive, and landlords play by the rules.”
