Eviction of Jinja Road car bonds starts next week

The Ministry of Works and Transport has announced that the eviction of car bond operators along Jinja Road will begin next week, following a directive requiring the businesses to vacate the area immediately. 

The affected car bonds operate mainly around Nakawa, Kyambogo and Kireka along one of Kampala’s busiest highways.

State Minister for Works and Transport, Musa Ecweru told reporters on Wednesday that the ministry has already coordinated with police and sister security agencies to enforce the eviction. 

The operation is scheduled to begin on Monday next week, giving car bond owners only a few days to comply with the directive.

Ecweru explained that the ministry has already notified all operators in the affected areas and expects them to vacate voluntarily before enforcement begins.

“We have worked this out together with the Kampala Metropolitan and Traffic Police. We started by reaching out to each of the bond owners and they have all received the information. They now have a few days to comply,” Ecweru said.

He warned that failure to comply will lead to forceful removal of the vehicles. 

Authorities will relocate the cars to designated storage areas, with all costs charged to the owners.

“They now have a few days to comply. If they fail, the cars will be removed at the cost of the owner. They will be taken to where we think we can store them, but at the cost of the owner” said the minister.

The car bond operators say the decision has caused anxiety among hundreds of business owners who depend on the trade for their livelihood.

Isa Ssengooba, the chairperson of the Car Bond Owners Association in Nakawa, said the group has attempted to engage the ministry in dialogue but has not received a response.

“We understand that there are concerns that our operations may be the cause of traffic gridlock on the road but this is misleading,” Ssengooba said.

“There are many other factors that cause traffic jams on that stretch. The road itself has been worked on but it is incomplete. There are no walkways for pedestrians.”

Ssengooba noted that operators had previously complied with government directives requiring them to move their vehicles further away from the road to reduce congestion.

He added that the association is requesting government to allocate an alternative location before enforcing the eviction.

According to Ssengooba, more than 1,000 people work in the car bond business along the affected stretch, and many families depend on the income generated from the trade.

While some operators may consider relocating to Mukono, he questioned whether the business would remain viable there.

“Before chasing us, we would request that the government allocates us where to go,” he said.