The government has suspended enforcement of the controversial “Trade Order” operations across the country following mounting pressure from parliament and growing public outcry over the treatment of urban vendors. Addressing plenary today, state minister for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, David Bahati, said the suspension is intended to allow further consultations and ensure a more orderly transition of traders into formal markets. “We have listened to the concerns of the people and the representatives in this House,” Bahati told MPs. “The enforcement of the trade order is hereby suspended until we can harmonise our approach with all stakeholders and ensure that every displaced vendor has a designated place to go.” The decision follows weeks of scrutiny by legislators, who have questioned the implementation of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifesto, particularly commitments tied to the Parish Development Model (PDM) and protection of livelihoods among the urban poor. Lawmakers argued that while restoring order in urban centres is necessary, current enforcement methods risk undermining government policy by displacing vulnerable traders without viable alternatives. The suspension builds on a consultative meeting held at the Ministry of Local Government headquarters, where permanent secretary Ben Kumumanya met leaders of the Federation of Uganda Traders Association (FUTA), led by John Kabanda, to explore a more “humane” approach. Although officials from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), represented by David Nuwabine, reported an increase in licensed traders from 12,536 to over 20,000, MPs noted that many of the newly licensed vendors lack access to physical stalls. The trade order forms part of the Local Government ministry’s annual performance framework, which is subject to parliamentary oversight through committees including Public Accounts (Local Government) and Trade and Industry. Parliament has previously raised concerns over delays in market infrastructure, noting that of the Shs 8.3 billion allocated for market construction in the 2024/25 financial year, only three out of the planned 12 facilities were completed, according to the Auditor General’s December 2025 report. FUTA’s Kabanda warned that enforcement without alternatives risks worsening displacement. “We will ask parliament to track the number of stalls delivered against evictions conducted. Order without options is displacement,” he said. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) 2024 Labour Force Survey, the informal sector accounts for 87 per cent of the non-agricultural workforce. In Kampala alone, an estimated 230,000 people depend on street vending, hawking and boda-boda-linked micro-retail, based on a 2023 Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) study. The suspension offers temporary relief to thousands of traders affected by enforcement operations since February 2026. Under the revised roadmap, government has opened a two-week window for stakeholders to agree on new trading locations, ahead of planned nationwide community barazas to explain the policy. Parliament is also expected to review funding for the ministry of Local Government to accelerate construction of satellite markets. Analysts say the suspension comes at a politically sensitive moment, with the 2026 landscape approaching, and is likely aimed at balancing enforcement with public sentiment on jobs and urban livelihoods.The post Gov’t now suspends enforcement of ‘Trade Order’ operations appeared first on The Observer.