Ugandan police temporarily shut down the China Town hypermarket in Lugogo, Kampala, on Monday evening after the store drew overwhelming crowds due to its significantly lower prices and social media buzz.
The hypermarket, which recently opened in the former Shoprite Supermarket, attracted shoppers eager to purchase affordable Chinese electronics, home appliances, fabrics, and more.
The surge in customers was largely fueled by TikTok influencers who visited the store, took videos of the products, and shared them online, unknowingly promoting the store.
Daniel Akwanget, the head of marketing at China Town, noted that the store did not hire or pay these influencers but benefited from the organic promotion that led to the large crowds.
“We didn’t know that the social media influencers were advertising for us indirectly. We have been seeing people coming to the stores, they take videos of our products and share them. This is why we have all these crowds,” Akwanget explained.
However, the massive turnout raised concerns for authorities.
The Ugandan police and military cited overcrowding and an increased terrorist threat as the reasons for the temporary closure.
The American Embassy in Uganda had earlier issued a security alert, warning of a heightened risk of terrorist attacks in Kampala as the anniversary of the September 11 attacks approaches.
The alert emphasized that terrorist activities are unpredictable and pose a significant threat to public safety.
