Several traders in Kampala have been arrested this morning following a protest in which they cite unfair taxation and restrictive business regulations.
The traders in Kampala and other parts of Uganda are threatening to close shops in protest against what they describe as unfair taxation and restrictive business policies.
This comes despite a meeting convened on Monday by Kampala Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Lule Mawiya, which brought together leaders from associations including UNATA, UTEA, FUTA, and KACITA.
The discussions ended with an agreement to suspend a nationwide demonstration that had been scheduled for Tuesday.
But not all traders are convinced. Some insist they will only take guidance from KACITA’s ousted chair, Hajji Isa Sekitto, and not Thaddeus Nagenda Musoke, who attended the meeting.
The traders’ anger follows a July 31 protest at the Ministry of Finance, where they accused government of overtaxing imports and allowing foreign traders to dominate retail spaces.
“The taxes are killing us,” said Grace Namubiru, a downtown trader.
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) insists it is engaging traders to ease compliance, while police have urged calm and lawful conduct.
For now, Kampala’s streets remain open for business, but uncertainty hangs over whether Tuesday will bring another wave of shop closures.