In Uganda’s harsh job market, desperation has driven university graduates to ride boda-bodas and young women to the streets, while street vendors struggling to make ends meet are relentlessly cleared from Kampala. City officials, fixated on creating a “world-class” city, seem unyielding in their pursuit of a tidy image.
But in places like Kisenyi, Kabalagala, and Kansanga, a different story unfolds. Foreigners, many without legal documentation, openly run small businesses—from selling khat to operating bars and unlicensed shops—while Ugandans face steep penalties for similar activities. Locals watch with growing resentment, wondering why they’re held to such strict standards as these foreign traders operate with apparent freedom.
Frustrations are boiling over. Ugandan Chrispus Buule recently vented on X: “Who allows Eritrean/Somalian refugees to engage in retail businesses when we’re struggling with unemployment? The number of undocumented immigrants in Kabalagala and Kansanga is worryingly high; some are selling khat and others drugs.”
Ugandans, facing strict enforcement, demand answers. They’re asking why the law seems to target them but allows others to go unchecked. The government is under pressure to address these grievances and restore fairness—before the situation spirals further.
