Chairman of the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA), Tadius Musoke Naggenda, has called off the planned city traders strike, following assurance of a meeting between the president of Uganda, KACITA leadership, and other key stakeholders due to take place on Friday, April 19, 2024.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, April 14, 2024, Musoke urged fellow traders and businessmen under their umbrella organization, KACITA, to stand down on the planned strike against the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS) system introduced by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). The strike, scheduled for Tuesday, April 16, 2024, has been put on hold.
“Currently, many people have been calling me, asking if we are going to work or if we are going to demonstrate. I want to assure all businessmen and other Ugandans that we shall go to work, effective Monday, April 15, 2024,” Musoke said.
He assured traders that the planned Tuesday traders’ demonstration has been suspended, as positive engagements with the government have led to a meeting with the president.
“We should go to work tomorrow, and the Tuesday demonstration by KACITA will not take place because President Museveni has allowed us to meet KACITA traders and other stakeholders on Friday, April 19, 2024,” Musoke added.
Musoke further assured traders that a special meeting with KACITA traders is scheduled for Monday, April 15, 2024, to discuss key issues to be presented to President Museveni. Additionally, he requested fellow traders in Jinja, Mbale, Mbarara, Kasese, Arua, Wakiso, Mukono, and other cities in the country not to strike as they await feedback from the president’s meeting.
Last week, on Monday, April 8, 2024, a section of traders in Kampala closed shops as they demonstrated against the introduction of the EFRIS system, which many traders say is not user-friendly and also has components of double taxing.
However, URA insists that the EFRIS system is not a taxing system but rather one that will help traders keep track of their sales and tax records.