Traders in Kampala are urging their leadership at Kacita to request President Museveni's permission for representatives to attend the upcoming meeting on April 24.
This meeting will involve briefings from URA officials and the Finance Ministry on new taxes. During a meeting to assess the outcomes of a previous meeting with the President, traders expressed a unanimous desire to have their representatives present at the next meeting. They highlighted ongoing issues and the perception that URA and the Finance Ministry view them as competitors.
Some traders, like Ibrahim Serwanga and Sam Mubiru, questioned why they were not included in the upcoming meeting, especially since officials from those offices attended the previous meeting with the President. Kacita's chairperson, Dr. Thadeus Musoke Nagenda, acknowledged the importance of the idea but emphasized that the final decision lies with the President. He expressed readiness to attend if given the opportunity.
A general meeting between the President and all traders is scheduled for May 7, where the final resolutions on tax grievances will be communicated. Traders ended their strike and resumed business after their leadership met with Mr. Museveni, during which they discussed issues such as the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing System (Efris), Value Added Tax (VAT), Withholding Tax, and the operation of Chinese retail shops in downtown Kampala. The President assured them that these matters would be studied and analyzed for resolution by the May 7 meeting.
The Efris system, which became mandatory for VAT taxpayers with annual sales over Shs150 million from January 1, 2021, has faced opposition from traders who claim they were not adequately informed about its operation.
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