Tears in Rukungiri as Trade order takes effect.

Rukungiri: Authorities in Rukungiri Municipality on Thursday May 28, 2026 started to implement the new trade order policy, razing down temporary and illegal structures.

The operation targets structures obstructing public spaces and those without approval.

Today’s operation left structures at Healing and Deliverance Church in Farmers, T. Light Church, Rukungiri Central secondary School, Rukungiri Kindergarten and Primary School and several private properties including houses demolished.

Most of the traders whose properties were destroyed during the exercise expressed frustration, while appealing to the government for help to secure a space where they can put their belongings.

Affected urban dwellers who requested to speak on condition of anonymity condemned Rukungiri Municipal Council leadership for failing to inform them about the trade order policy in time.

Some say their structures were demolished even when they were not marked by the letter X, a symbol that was used to mark the structures to be demolished prior to today’s operation.

However Vastine Kenganzi, the Rukungiri Municipality Senior Physical Planner told our reporter that municipal authorities gave people enough time to relocate ahead of the enforcement exercise noting that about 70% of those affected had already shifted voluntarily.

Kenganzi warned that the operation will continue as long as the prohibited structures are still in town, further asking the traders in marked the structures to willfully leave them before force from the authorities is applied.

She urged traders and institutions to follow the approved procedures before putting up structures.