The Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Rt Hon. Richard Todwong, has pledged to protect thousands of Kampala vendors from predatory money lenders who exploit their financial vulnerabilities by charging exorbitant interest rates.
Speaking at the NRM headquarters on Sunday during a meeting with leaders of vendors from Kampala, Todwong expressed concern over the widespread financial distress among vendors caused by informal lenders.
“From the look of things, they are really suffering. Money lenders give them small amounts at extremely high interest rates. You find someone borrowing just Shs20,000 and paying back with 20% interest. They will never grow because all they do is work to pay off debts,” he said.
Todwong revealed that the NRM is working to organize vendors into groups and associations to enable them to benefit from various government initiatives, including the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, and the GROW project under the Ministry of Gender.
“Many of them haven’t even heard of these programmes. That’s why part of our effort is to sensitize and mobilize them so they can access these government services and break free from exploitative lenders,” he added.
So far, at least 2,000 vendors have been registered by the party, with more expected to join the initiative aimed at improving their economic prospects.
Vendors Face Harassment from KCCA
Todwong also addressed growing complaints from vendors about harassment and confiscation of goods by Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) enforcement officers.
“When KCCA enforcement teams evict them, they often seize all their merchandise, essentially taking away their working capital. That leaves them even more vulnerable to money lenders,” Todwong explained.
He said vendors had expressed a need for designated spaces to operate from, instead of being driven off the streets without alternative arrangements.
“When law enforcement confiscates their stock, they’re left with nothing to repay loans. Then the money lenders show up and seize whatever small household items they can find, like saucepans. That creates deep resentment,” he added.
Todwong noted that many of the affected vendors are single mothers struggling to raise children and support extended families, adding that government must respond with empathy and support.
“Most of these vendors are single mothers. We are not interested in debating why they are single. Our focus is on how best we can support them in their current situation,” he said.
Political Violence and Impersonation Condemned
Todwong also condemned recent acts of violence by youths claiming to be NRM supporters during the day President Yoweri Museveni picked nomination forms.
“We have communicated to our members that such behavior is unacceptable. Investigations into the incident revealed that many of those who caused chaos were actually members of other political parties disguised in NRM T-shirts,” he revealed.
“Many of them were arrested and confessed to being sent to disrupt. As a party, we do not condone such actions. We are a civil, respectful organization and expect the same in return,” he added.
Warning to Violent and Dishonest Candidates
Todwong issued a strong warning to NRM aspirants who resort to violence or excessive spending to influence internal party elections.
“We’ve cautioned all candidates to conduct themselves respectfully and avoid clashing with fellow contenders. They must honor the party’s electoral processes, voters, and its organs,” he said.
He also warned that disciplinary action would be taken against those who defy party guidelines.
“Some of these individuals have already been identified. If they don’t stop, we’ll invoke the party constitution to take necessary action,” Todwong said.
