Negotiating Urban Space for Empowerment of Women Micro-Entrepreneurs in Kampala Central Division, Uganda

This study examined how women micro entrepreneurs negotiated and used the patriarchal urban space in Kampala Central Division for empowerment. The study utilised Lefebvre’s spatial triad model of space theory and the Empowerment theory. The study employed a cross-sectional study design that allowed the use of the survey and case study designs with several research methods that included questionnaire, observation, key informant interviews, literature review discussions, and cases. Key information was collected from five Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials and five local council leaders, who were purposively selected and 90 women entrepreneurs that participated in a survey through purposive and snowball sampling. The study discovered that, women Kampala Central Division offers space for women’s micro-entrepreneurship that has brought remarkable decision making processes, resilience and improved agency which are aspects of empowerment. The study also discovered flaws and challenges that limited women from accessing the urban space to sell their items, which affected the empowerment process. The women cited limited start-up capital, high operational dues, stiff competition from other traders, difficulty in accessing the patriarchal urban space and increase in women’s workload which reduced productivity, among other challenges. In light of the above findings, it is therefore recommended that KCCA should address the apparent challenges and flaws to mitigate the negative impact of such deficiencies in their performance and uptake by the women micro entrepreneurs in Kampala Central Division.