Mugumya, a former aide to former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye, has previously been at the center of politically charged cases. His latest case comes at a time of heightened scrutiny over reports of enforced disappearances and prolonged detention without trial.
Ambassador Ssentongo reaffirmed Ugandan government’s commitment to strengthening cross-border tourism cooperation, noting that tourism is central to the country’s Ten-Fold Growth Strategy, which aims to grow the economy from US$50 billion to US$500 billion by 2040. He called for practical, time-bound solutions to trade barriers affecting tourism and regional business competitiveness.
Uganda buys far more from foreign countries than it sells abroad, creating a massive $4.6 billion trade gap. Because international sellers only accept US dollars, local traders are constantly scrambling to buy greenbacks, driving the dollar’s value up and shilling down.
When the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) aggressively enforces digital systems like EFRIS or increases implicit transaction levies on an economy already choked by a 4.1% inflation rate, it doesn’t create wealth but panic.
Kampala City traders have since pushed the quest to meet President Museveni to express their discontent; however, their efforts have remained futile after Museveni postponed the meeting to unknown dates. The traders want President Museveni to halt the Chinese dominance of the economy and use of EFRIS, among others.