Traders agree to open shops after Museveni meeting

✔ President to meet with Ministry of Finance and URA Technocrats on April 24, 2024.
✔ President to meet with all traders on May 7, 2024 at Kololo Ceremonial grounds.
✔ URA directed to suspend all penalties during further consultations.
✔ Traders agreed to open up their businesses while continuing consultations with the government

Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  President Yoweri Museveni has directed revenue body URA to suspend any penalties for failure to use the EFRIS receipting system for a month, as consultations with traders in Kampala continue.

The President met leaders of the business community, who had closed shops in protest over various tax related complaints, especially the implementation of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS) receipt system.

The meeting followed a strike by traders who closed their businesses, expressing their discontent against Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)’s implementation EFRIS. The discussions mainly centred on the taxation levied on their businesses, especially the EFRIS system.

During the meeting, the President informed the traders that he will meet the technocrats from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and URA on the 24th, April 2024 for wider consultations.

The President also noted that he will then meet with all the traders on 7th May 2024 at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.

President Museveni further directed that all penalties should be suspended by the URA for the meantime to give room for wider consultations.

The leaders of the traders agreed to reopen their businesses as they continue to consult further with the government.

The delegation of 61 leaders was led by John Kabanda , the leader of the Federation of Uganda’s Traders Associations (FUTA) and Dr. Musoke Thadeus Agenda, the leader of Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA).

The meeting was also attended by  Issa Ssekito, the Spokesperson of KACITA.