More than 60 furniture traders and garage operators in Kavule, Makerere, whose businesses were destroyed in Monday’s fire outbreak, have appealed to the government for urgent financial support to help them rebuild their livelihoods.

The affected traders say they are now facing economic uncertainty after losing machinery, stock, and workspaces in the inferno, leaving many without any source of income.

Nelson Kabanda, who is spearheading the registration of affected traders, said the group had previously survived through self-reliance, but the scale of destruction has made recovery impossible without external assistance. He noted that furniture makers lost essential equipment used for timber processing, crippling their ability to resume operations.

Several traders also reported losing newly stocked furniture, timber supplies, and leather materials used in making seats and chairs. Nsereko, one of the affected traders, said that without immediate intervention, many business owners may struggle to recover from the losses.

Furniture makers Fred Ssemukutu, Nelson Kabanda, and Wahabu Kalanzi emphasized that government support remains their only hope, arguing that accessing loans from banks and microfinance institutions is often difficult for small-scale traders, especially after such disasters.

Although no lives were lost in the Makerere-Kavule inferno, police have launched investigations to determine the exact cause of the fire. Preliminary accounts suggest it could have been triggered by an electrical fault, an unattended charcoal stove, or burning rubbish.

Meanwhile, John Kabanda, President of the Federation of Uganda Traders Associations (FUTA), said a comprehensive list of affected traders will be submitted to government leaders in Kampala to facilitate support and relief efforts.

Authorities continue to assess the damage as traders await intervention to help restore their businesses.

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