Residents living with disabilities in Kabale Municipality are raising concern over their livelihoods following an eviction directive affecting traders in Kikungiri, warning that the move could reverse years of progress toward self-reliance.

The enforcement of trade order regulations across urban centers is part of broader government efforts to reorganize business operations and streamline trading spaces.

However, this enforcement has now affected persons with physical disabilities operating in Kikungiri, Kabale Municipality, who say the directive threatens their only source of income.

The group, made up of about 25 artisans, explains that many have worked from the same location for over 30 years, relying on handcraft businesses to sustain their families.

They say relocating is not only financially challenging but also physically difficult, given their mobility limitations and lack of support systems.

One of the affected traders, Mary Tindibasa, has appealed to authorities to either halt the eviction or provide an accessible alternative site where they can continue operating.

The group warns that without proper relocation and consultation, many risk slipping back into street begging—an outcome they say they have spent decades working to overcome.

Meanwhile, the mayor of Kabale Municipality, Emmanuel Sentaro Byamugisha, maintains that affected traders were given adequate notice to vacate, emphasizing that enforcement of the trade order will proceed as planned.

The situation highlights growing tension between urban planning efforts and the need to protect vulnerable groups whose livelihoods depend on informal trading spaces.

Advocates continue to call for inclusive approaches that ensure development policies do not leave behind those with limited mobility and fewer economic opportunities.

As authorities press on with enforcement, affected traders are now looking to government intervention for a balanced solution that safeguards both order and dignity.