Over 80 traders in Ssembabule Town council are threatening to close their shops and quit business next week citing high taxes. They held a crisis meeting over the weekend at Cresto Center in Ssembabule and resolved to reject the tax rates.
The traders have written to Ronald Tumusiime, Sembabule Town clerk giving him up to Tuesday this week to revisit the tax rates or they close their shops. They have also petitioned the minister of trade and Industry to reduce on the rates of their business licenses.
The traders pay between shillings 150,000n and 200,000 annually in trade license fees. Kizza Ddambya says that they are ready to close their shops tomorrow unless the minister of trader intervenes to address their concerns.
Dambya says that they want the trade license fees reduced by 50 percent because they are no longer getting clients to make profits. Phoebe Keishanyu, a councilor at Ssembabule town council, blames the ministry for setting a uniform license fees for all urban councils forgetting that towns like Sembabule are just emerging.
She says most people in Sembabule are operating on a very small business capital. Ronald Tumusiime, town clerk Ssembabule has asked the traders to meet their tax obligations as negotiations continue.
