The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president Patrick Oboi Amuriat has expressed concern over the Unfair Uganda Revenue Authority system and the current tax regime said to be pushing traders out of business.
During a press conference at the FDC headquarters, Amuriat said they stand in solidarity with the plight of the traders who are treated unfairly with the enforcement of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS).
Amuriat says whereas the system could be important, it was hurriedly enforced without enough sensitization of stakeholders for them to appreciate, he also points out the lack of infrastructure used to enrol the system.
He says this has led to the trader’s frustration with the system and exposed them to double taxation.
“We as a party have established that this system exposes traders to a heavier tax burden including previously hidden taxes like withholding tax, income tax and VAT. Clear records show that over 200,000 people are closing their businesses.”
Amuriat further protested the unfair tax regime which he says is higher than that of its neighbouring countries in the region.
Patrick Amuriat threatened to join the traders in protest if the government didn’t heed their call.
“If this mistreatment continues, we shall not hesitate to join the traders not with words but actions we shall communicate later”
The FDC president also expressed dismay towards Uganda’s increasing debt burden attributing all of Uganda’s economic issues to the government’s wasteful expenditure.