Traders towards a proposed tax assortment system have vowed to resume their protests by shutting down their Kampala companies from Wednesday, unless President Museveni re-schedules a twice deferred assembly with the group to look into its grievances.
“Traders are determined to close by July 31 if the president does not come out and talk to them using any valid media,” they mentioned on Tuesday, below their umbrella Kampala Capital City Traders Association (KACITA).
The traders stay opposed to what they described as “high taxes on imports” and implementation of Uganda Revenue Authority’s Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (Efris).
“People want answers to all the three issues; EFRIS, taxation and the foreign traders that are dealing in petty businesses at the detriment of Ugandans- whereby they (foreigners) become the factory, manufactures, wholesaler, retailer and hawker,” KACITA spokesperson Issa Ssekitto emphasised.
The improvement comes after the presidency but once more known as off a deliberate July 31 assembly with the traders, citing ongoing renovations of the meant venue- Kololo Grounds in Kampala.
“It is not the cancellation that was defective but the way it was done. It is very unprofessional and disrespectful that the Kampala minister (Minsa Kabanda) can use a WhatsApp voice note to stop a long-awaited presidential engagement with the business community in Uganda,” Ssekito remarked.
He added: “This is a national matter. We expected a formal communication from the president.”
Wednesday’s assembly had been scheduled after the Ugandan chief missed one other related association on June 20.
“People have been anxious. They are losing and eating or their capital because they are no longer working and you’re handling this with laxity? We can meet the president anywhere he decides that’s not Kololo,” Ssekitto advised journalists in Kampala on Tuesday.
The traders’ strike coincides with a deliberate return of the March to Parliament anti-corruption protests which organizers hinted may happen on July 31.
Kabanda backed her alternative to inform traders of the postponement utilizing a voice word saying she “could not write an official letter during the weekend.”
“The president does not lie. He will meet them towards the end of August,” she added.
Business homeowners seat exterior their locked retailers throughout a traders’ strike towards unfair taxes and URA’s Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS) system on April 16, 2024 in Kampala. PHOTO/MICHEAL KAKUMIRIZI
Uganda’s June tax collections suffered a Shs165.6billion shortfall largely blamed by authorities on the April 2024 traders’ strike within the East African nation.
“We urge traders to remain as peaceful as possible as they close shops. We don’t cause chaos…we lock and go home. We shall not be responsible for anybody who causes problems to the rest,” Ssekito highlighted.
According to the ministry of finance, the strike immediately impacted on tax returns because the nation obtained Shs3.030 trillion towards the Shs3.381 trillion goal for the month of June.
