The failure by government to reduce taxes on fuel imports in the 2011/2012 financial year budget has angered residents of Hoima. Several people were seen glued to their Television and radio sets waiting to hear and see the finance touch on what has become a thorny issue in the lives of ugandans. Fuel prices.
Their hopes were however dashed, nothing significant was mentioned about possible tax reductions on Fuel prices.
Peter Mayanja, the LC 1 Chairman Kiryatete East , says the local man will not benefit anything from this financial year’s budget for as long as taxes on fuel have remained the same.
While the budget reflects a reduction on excise duty on sugar and import duty on Kerosene, Mayanja argues that these are not basic necessities for some families and hence the impact will be minimal.
Joshua Kasangaki, a resident of Kibingo in Busiisi division, was also not happy about the budget presented on Wednesday. He however commended efforts that have been taken to increase funding for the road sector.
Kasangaki is worried that the fuel crisis will remain and the local people will continue bearing the brunt of hiked transport fares and commodity prices.A litter of petrol in Hoima is selling at shillings 3600 while that of diesel is at shillings 3400.Kerosene is selling at 2,900 shillings.
But James Mugenyi Mulindambura, a local politician lauds the financial year’s budget saying a huge funding to the road sector will improve the road infrastructure.
The fuel crisis and the subsequent hike in commodity prices has sparked off discontent in recent months as the opposition and other concerned citizens took to the streets in protest.
And as the storm seemed to setll hopes were high that government would announce new measures to address the fuel problem in the financial year’s budget.
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