Business Activities in Kampala Slow Down Ahead of Thursday Polls

There has been a marked reduction in business activities in Kampala, as well as low traffic ahead of Thursday’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

Several organizations closed their businesses and gave employees days off for the elections, while others closed their businesses in anticipation of some chaos.

Leaders of traders and the business community as a whole have been expressing hope that the security agencies have prepared early enough to prevent any business disruptions in the city during and after the polls.

The fears by the business community are based on the previous events in the last few months where security personnel have clashed with candidates, one of which led to bloody protests in and around Kampala in November 2020.

Some traders removed their stocks from the shops and took them to safer places, while others said they had halted replenishing their stocks unsure of the trade order in the next few days.

These sentiments led to fewer people than usual going to Kampala as they did not anticipate many business activities.

By mid-morning on Wednesday, most of the shops were still closed and roads were unusually low on traffic.  As the day went on, however, traffic volumes, both pedestrian and motorist, significantly increased.

However, several shops remained closed throughout the day, and verandas were taken over by roadside vendors.

Roads like Luwum Street, which operate evening market, were suddenly filled by vendors as early as 3.00 pm as there were no law enforcement officers from KCCA.

Boda-boda riders were visibly many but on the streets, but said business for them was very low, as demand was significantly down.

URN