A section of dissatisfied traders has vowed to close their businesses again over what they call unfair implementation of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing system (EFRIS) by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
This follows their much-anticipated meeting with president Museveni yesterday at Kololo Independence Grounds, during which many had hoped to have their grievances addressed.
Some of the concerns they had earlier raised included corruption allegations against URA officials, over and double taxation, among others.
Specifically, the chairperson of the Federation of Uganda Traders’ Association (FUTA), Mr. John Kabanda decried the high and unfavourable taxes imposed on them by URA.
However, the president said he did not see any form of double taxation as claimed by the traders. “I don’t see any double taxation here. You only pay once. And you don’t pay what the other one has already paid, and I protects our factories. Now what you should study with your leaders and the tax people is what you said about EFRIS”, he said.
According to the president, the policy of government on taxes is quite deliberate and they normally do not tax what “builds Uganda” and if they do, they impose a smaller tax. He encouraged the traders to instead embrace exporting locally manufactured products.
“When we came from the bush, there was a tax on export in coffee, it was called coffee export tax, we abolished that tax. There’s no tax on the export of coffee or any other product which is sold outside and yet when NRM came into government that was the main source of tax. Show me just one tax on a Ugandan product”, he said.
However, speaking to KFM, Kabanda said that they were not satisfied with the outcomes of yesterday’s meeting because they expected the president to call off implementation of the controversial EFRIS.
”they are going to meet as Traders and plan on the way forward,“ we need mindset change because that problem started sometime ago but we are trying to work on it and we have worked on it because it is not as it used to be but with time in know we are going to improve.”Kabanda added.
Kabanda also requested the president to meet them annually for constructive interactions regarding their businesses.
In response, the president promised to hold another meeting with the traders on June 20, 2024 to give them a concrete Action Plan.
