Traders from Kampala and other parts of Uganda have accused Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and Rt Hon Speaker Anita Among of ignoring their request for a meeting to resolve the ongoing standoff between traders and URA over the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solutions (EFRIS) system.
They expressed their dissatisfaction with Nabbanja and Among to President Museveni during a meeting held at Kololo independence grounds on May 7, 2024.
John Kabanda, the chairman of the Federation of Uganda Traders Association (FUTA), reported to President Museveni that on many occasions they have written to Prime Minister Nabbanja and to Speaker Anita Among, asking for a meeting with traders, all in vain.
“Mr. President, without fear, I would like to report Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and Speaker Anita Among for not responding to our requests to have a meeting with them to resolve the traders grievances. We have written to them many times, but up to now we have never received any response from them,” Kabanda said.
The traders union leaders also accused Evelyne Anite, the state minister for Finance and Investment Privatization, of misleading the president by presenting foreigners as investors, yet the same investors end up on Kampala streets doing wholesale trade and retailing.
While addressing the traders, President Museveni urged them to embrace EFRIS, since it is there to stay, but cautioned them not to be forced to use the machine system since there are other options like smartphones.
“We should allow flexibility on the EFRIS machine; those who cannot afford to buy it should be allowed to use the smartphone option. I therefore direct the URA not to insist on the EFRIS machine. The people who cannot buy it should be allowed to use the cheaper option, and there should be no penalties for not buying it,” Museveni said.
Additionally, the president said that he will support traders who want to graduate from importing to manufacturing locally made goods, stating that it is the way to develop Uganda.
This follows a meeting where the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) led a delegation of traders on April 19, 2024, to State House Entebbe to meet President Museveni and discuss the taxing method of EFRIS.
