Authorities have announced plans to remove car bond businesses operating along Jinja Road in areas such as Nakawa, Kyambogo and Kireka, with the exercise expected to begin next week.
The Ministry of Works and Transport says the operators were notified earlier in the week and given a short period to vacate the road reserve before enforcement begins.
The planned eviction is part of government efforts to address congestion and improve order along one of Kampala’s busiest transport corridors.
State Minister for Works and Transport Musa Ecweru said the ministry has already finalised arrangements with security agencies to implement the eviction starting Monday.
According to Ecweru, the ministry worked together with the Kampala Metropolitan authorities and Traffic Police to ensure the exercise is conducted smoothly. He explained that officials had reached out to each car bond owner to inform them about the directive and the timeline for compliance.
Ecweru warned that operators who fail to move their vehicles within the given timeframe risk having them removed by authorities. The vehicles will then be transported to designated storage facilities, with the owners required to cover the costs involved.
Car bond operators have expressed concern about the directive, saying it could disrupt the livelihoods of many people working in the business.
Isa Ssengooba, the chairperson of the Car Bond Owners Association in Nakawa, said the association had attempted to engage the ministry to find a mutually acceptable solution but had not received any response.
Ssengooba also challenged claims that car bond yards are the main cause of traffic congestion along Jinja Road. He argued that the problem is linked to several other issues, including incomplete road works and the absence of proper pedestrian walkways.
The association says its members had previously complied with instructions from authorities to move their vehicles further away from the main road in an attempt to reduce traffic disruption.
However, Ssengooba noted that the current directive leaves many operators uncertain about where they should relocate their businesses.
He said more than 1,000 people are directly employed in the car bond trade along the affected stretch, and many households depend on the income generated from the business.
While some traders are considering moving to Mukono, Ssengooba questioned whether the market there would sustain their operations.
The operators are now appealing to government to provide an alternative location before the eviction is carried out. Despite these concerns, the ministry has indicated that the clearance exercise will proceed as scheduled next week.
