President Yoweri Museveni has defended the government’s enforcement of the Trade Order and environmental protection measures, urging political leaders to stop what he described as “cheap politics” that encourages disorder and environmental destruction.
Speaking during the presentation of the FY2026/27 national budget at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Thursday, Museveni used analogies from the human body to argue that every public space has a designated purpose and should be used accordingly.
His remarks come months after the controversial implementation of the Trade Order, which sought to remove roadside vendors and informal traders from streets and public spaces across major towns and cities. The directive sparked public debate, with critics arguing that it threatened the livelihoods of thousands of urban poor while supporters insisted it was necessary to restore order and improve the business environment.
The policy was temporarily suspended following public outcry and political pressure from several leaders who called for dialogue and alternative arrangements for affected traders. Enforcement, however, later resumed after government insisted that traders relocate to gazetted markets and business premises. Addressing the controversy, Museveni said roads and sidewalks should serve their intended functions just as organs in the human body have specific roles.
“A country is like a human body,” he said. “Every system has its function. The road is for vehicles and motorcycles, the sidewalks are for pedestrians, and markets are for selling goods. You cannot decide to sell on the roadside because that is not what it is meant for.” He criticized politicians who oppose enforcement operations, accusing them of misleading the public for political gain.
“Don’t go on with the cheap politics of misleading our people,” Museveni said. “You cannot say because you want to eat, you put food in your ear or your nose. Food belongs in the mouth. Likewise, roads are not markets.” The President extended the analogy to environmental conservation, insisting that wetlands and forests should remain protected ecosystems rather than being converted for agriculture or settlement.
“The swamp is for water. It is not for cultivation or buildings. These wetlands and forests sustained our people for millions of years before modern development came. Destroying them is destroying our own survival,” he said. Museveni singled out rice cultivation in wetlands, claiming that some foreign investors had encouraged Ugandans to misuse fragile ecosystems.
“When the Chinese came, they misled some of our people to grow rice in swamps. That is not what swamps are for,” he argued, adding that wetlands should retain their natural papyrus vegetation and water systems. The President also linked environmental degradation to the emergence of diseases, suggesting that encroachment on forests and wildlife habitats could be contributing to outbreaks such as Ebola. “I had never heard of Ebola in the past,” he said. “I think part of the problem is that people are invading the habitats of these animals in the forests.”
Museveni further condemned the destruction of Bugoma Forest, describing those involved as “criminals” and “enemies of Uganda” who are sacrificing the country’s natural resources for private interests.
His comments reinforce government’s recent campaign against wetland degradation, forest destruction and unregulated roadside trading, policies that have generated both praise and criticism due to their economic impact on vulnerable communities-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
