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Evictions of traders
Let’s ponder about this predicament with utmost meticulosity.
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The mass evictions of street vendors, roadside traders, and boda boda riders across Uganda—particularly in Kampala and major municipalities—provide a stark, real-world case study for Robert Merton’s Strain Theory.
When the state removes the “informal” means of survival without providing accessible, legitimate alternatives, it creates a societal pressure cooker where crime isn’t just a choice—it becomes a survival strategy for the displaced.envisaged as follows.
1. The blocked Means vs cultural goals. Strain Theory posits that society sets certain goals (financial stability, providing for family, personal success) but does not provide equal access to the “legitimate means” (formal jobs, affordable market stalls, credit) to achieve them.
For a vendor or rider, the goal is simple: daily bread and school fees.The Strain: By clearing the streets, the government has blocked the only legitimate means these individuals had to reach that goal. While KCCA and local authorities suggest moving to gazetted markets, these are often full, require high entry fees, or lack the “foot traffic” necessary to make a living.
2. Adaptation: The Rise of “Innovation” (Crime)Merton identified several ways individuals adapt to this strain. The most relevant here is Innovation. In a criminal context, “Innovation” occurs when an individual accepts the goal (wealth/survival) but rejects the legitimate means (because they are blocked) and turns to illegitimate means.
3 .The “Criminogenic” Effect of DisplacementWhen you evict a boda boda rider or a vendor, you aren’t just moving them; you are detaching them from their social and economic “anchors.”
Loss of Social Control: A vendor at a specific spot is part of a community. Once displaced, they become anonymous. This anonymity makes it easier to engage in criminal acts without the social “shame” or monitoring of their peers.
The Desperation Gap: The gap between the eviction (10:00 AM) and the hunger (6:00 PM) is the window where “survival crime” is born. When thousands are displaced simultaneously, this creates a pool of “available labor” for organized criminal gangs.
4.The Escalation to Violence.Under General Strain Theory, strain leads to negative emotions like anger and frustration.When a person feels “wronged” by the state (their goods were confiscated or their bike impounded), that anger is often redirected toward the public. Robberies become more violent because the perpetrator is not just looking for money; they are operating out of a sense of deep-seated resentment and desperation.
My call to the stakeholders is to support the society in a manner that isn’t enervating and abysmally cataclysmic. Whereas development and trade organization are needed, the whole strategy of eviction needs to be handled with utmost benevolence, transparency and immense scrupulosity.
The ConnoisseurAka Mwijukuru wa Kabaleega.
, https://eastafricanwatch.net/mwijukuru-wa-kabaleega-shares-his-opinion-on-effects-of-the-trade-order-that-subsequently-led-to-massive-eviction-of-traders-in-various-parts-of-the-country/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mwijukuru-wa-kabaleega-shares-his-opinion-on-effects-of-the-trade-order-that-subsequently-led-to-massive-eviction-of-traders-in-various-parts-of-the-country
