Arcade owners under the Kampala Arcaders’ Association are set to meet today to deliberate and agree on the issues to be presented to the president tomorrow.
The association chairperson Godfrey Katongole says today’s meeting is meant to harmonise their concerns with those listed earlier by the traders.
“We are meeting today to harmonise our concerns with those agreed upon earlier by our colleagues who are also our tenants- the traders. Whatever affects them affects the very core of our business”, he says.
It comes just hours to the much anticipated meeting with President Museveni scheduled to be held at Kololo Independence Grounds to address the traders grievances that prompted them to go on strike last month.
This meeting also follows an earlier one that President Museveni held with government officials from several ministries and the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)
Last month, traders went on strike protesting a range of issues including the implementation of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (Efris), as well as its enforcement and penalties of defaulters.
The traders also raised concern over high taxes on imported garments, bank agency notices issued by URA on traders’ accounts and corruption among tax enforcement personnel.
Meanwhile fresh calls are being made for the government to respect the trading community in the country.
In a phone interview with KFM, the chairperson of Kampala City Traders Association Thaddeus Musoke says they are all set to lead a delegation of their members drawn from across country for tomorrow’s meeting with the president.” we appeal to the government to start respecting and honoring the trading community because they play avital role let it be Agriculture School and many more,” Mr. Musoke Said.
