The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) has appealed to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) to reconsider the implementation of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solutions (EFRIS) system, which has led traders to shutter their shops in protest.
The protest, now in its second day, has seen traders affiliated with the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) Uganda and the Federation of Uganda Trader’s Associations (FUTS) closing their shops over the EFRIS issue.
According to Jimmy Akena, the President of UPC, the protesting traders have not fully grasped the EFRIS system, an aspect that URA should have prioritized by educating them about this e-receipting system.
Speaking during a press conference at Uganda House, Akena emphasized that the number of taxpayers in the country is significantly lower than the population of workers, underscoring the need for respectful treatment of the aggrieved traders.
He further urged the government to reduce expenditures impacting the budget, thus alleviating the burden on businesses.
Akena highlighted that the current discontent in the trade industry stems from the implementation of the new Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS) initiative by URA under the Domestic Revenue Mobilization Program. This initiative aims to record business transactions in real time and share the information with URA, exacerbating tensions between traders and the authority, resulting in business closures in Kampala and other parts of the country. This comes at a time when businesses are still recovering from the repercussions of the Covid-19 lockdown.
“This not only affects internal business transactions and government revenue collection but also jeopardizes regional trade,” Akena stated.
He therefore urged URA to proceed cautiously with the EFRIS program, emphasizing the importance of regularly educating and engaging the business community on such policies.
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