Traders against a proposed tax collection system have vowed to resume their protests by shutting down their Kampala businesses from Wednesday, unless President Museveni re-schedules a twice deferred meeting 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 said on Tuesday, under their umbrella Kampala Capital City Traders Association (KACITA).
The traders remain 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 emphasized.
The development comes after the presidency yet again called off a planned July 31 meeting with the traders, citing ongoing renovations of the intended 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 meeting had been scheduled after the Ugandan leader missed another similar arrangement 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 told journalists in Kampala on Tuesday.
The traders’ strike coincides with a planned return of the March to Parliament anti-corruption protests which organizers hinted could take place on July 31.
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024 Senior Presidential Press Secretary Sandor Walusimbi told Monitor that the deferred meeting would be held at an undisclosed later date.
Uganda’s June tax collections suffered a Shs165.6billion shortfall largely blamed by government on the April 2024 traders’ strike in the East African country.
“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 directly impacted on tax returns as the country obtained Shs3.030 trillion against the Shs3.381 trillion target for the month of June.
