Kampala city traders have threatened to close their shops starting July 31, 2024, in a massive protest over the government’s failure to address their grievances, particularly following a canceled meeting with President Yoweri Museveni.
The traders claim their decision comes after the Minister for Kampala, Minsa Kabanda, informed them, through a voice note, that the president would not meet them as scheduled at Kololo Independence Grounds, citing renovations as the reason.
While addressing a news conference in Kampala on July 30, 2024, Issa Ssekitto, the spokesperson for the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), said that this last-minute cancellation has left many traders feeling ignored, frustrated, and disrespected, as they had hoped to discuss their pressing issues that have been weighing heavily on their businesses.
“Business people have been patient, but the manner in which the Honourable Minister replied to their cries is unacceptable. We cannot leave our people to fend for themselves,” Ssekitto said.
He called on the traders to close their shops peacefully and asked them to separate their protest from broader issues of corruption.
The traders are protesting the enforcement of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting Solution (EFRIS) and the increasing involvement of Chinese in the trade, among other issues.
They claim that the government has not done enough to address these challenges, and the canceled meeting has only added to their sense of abandonment.
