Street vendors deserve special funding to boost their businesses

Op-Ed: Once again, I salute everyone reading this article and appreciate your efforts to ensure there is something in your pocket.

As always, I come to speak on behalf of street vendors the hardworking men and women who toil tirelessly to earn a living. These include those selling chips, roasted cassava and potatoes, Muchomo, fish, chapati, mandazi, Kikomando, and other foodstuffs that sustain countless Ugandans daily.

I would like to commend the Government of Uganda, under the leadership of H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, for introducing initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, UWEP, and YLP to support economic growth and community development.

However, there are many vendors who do not qualify for these funds and are often left out of such programs. These small-scale entrepreneurs deserve special funding to help expand and sustain their businesses.

Many vendors have grown from small roadside stalls to established businesses that now support their families. Through their work, they can pay school fees, cover household expenses, and contribute to the economy. Their years of experience in business also mean they have developed strong financial literacy and management skills.

With the right support, these vendors can break the cycle of poverty and transition into formalized businesses.

I urge the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Finance, to create a special funding program tailored to street vendors. This funding would help vendors increase their capital, improve their operations, and expand their businesses.

In Buliisa District, for instance, vendors along the Hoima-Butiaba-Wanseko road, Biiso Town, Bugoigo Stage, Buliisa Town, Ngwedo Trading Centre, and Wanseko have seen business opportunities grow due to the increasing population brought by the Oil and Gas activities in the Albertine region.

I also call upon oil companies and NGOs operating in Buliisa District to consider investing in these hardworking entrepreneurs. Supporting them would not only uplift communities but also strengthen the local economy.

Street vendors are God’s people hardworking Ugandans who simply need a boost to thrive.

The author is Ikiriza Zephania, a journalist at Biiso FM 97.8 and PLU Publicity, Buliisa District.

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