Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on traders in shopping arcades in Kampala city: a case of Nakawa division

Abstract

The study sought to find out the impact of Covid 19 pandemic on traders in shopping arcades. Analysis was conducted on 150 traders in Nakawa division in order to investigate the impact of Covid 19 pandemic on the traders. Results revealed that out of the total number of traders interviewed, majority were aged 31 to 40 years (50.67%), 64% were males and majority had secondary education (41.33%). Most of the respondents (68.67%) were married. Majority (80.67%) revealed that their level of production of commodities reduced after the outbreak of the pandemic, 84.67% of the respondents reported that their sales decreased because of Covid 19 pandemic whereas 86% of traders reported that they reduced the number of workers. Furthermore 75.33% of the traders reported that they were forced to close their businesses due to the Covid 19 pandemic and most of the traders (85.33%) reported that the cost of raw materials increased due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The study recommended that the government should put up broad-based tax relief that is, VAT reductions, wage subsidies, unemployment benefits and mortgage relief so as boost up their business which had collapsed after the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic. The government should provide loans to traders who were negatively affected by Covid 19 pandemic so as to boost up their business through paying off their debts, rent and also hiring workers they had laid off during the pandemic.