By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Traders operating businesses in Kampala under their umbrella Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) have given a 30 days ultimatum to president Museveni to meet them and explain their problems.
Traders represented by their leaders, and individual traders from different business sectors unanimously voted in favour of the motion to give the president an ultimatum during a meeting chaired by their association chairman, Dr. Thadeus Musoke Nagenda.
“We’re giving the president a 30 days ultimatum to schedule a meeting with us to explain our problems, if he doesn’t meet us before 8 March, 2024, we shall close down our businesses and stage an industrial action,” Dr. Thadeus said amidst loud hand applauses from traders.
Traders are complaining about Chinese and Indian retailers infiltrating Ugandan local markets. They argue that they are incurring lots of expenses like trade licenses, rent, garbage collection fee and are being subjected to unfair competition from Chinese and Indian traders in the name of protecting foreign investors.
They now want to meet the president and explain to him their problems including unfair taxation and competition from foreign traders who they suggest should remain in factories and warehouses than doing a retailer job to the end consumer.
Museveni given 30 days Ultimatum to meet KACITA traders
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Robert Kasolo Kisembo, the chairman of Kisekka market welcomed the industrial action and asked KACITA leadership to make their position clear and command the demonstration. He also urged traders to desist from forming diversional associations but only to stick to KACITA.
Issa Ssekito, a trader warned rivalry New Generation traders association leader led by Kabanda against character assassination and demanded respect for KCATA leadership.
Another trader, Kayondo dealing in T-shirts called for the punishment of traders who will defy the resolutions of the meeting.
The youthful trader also warned against dangers of associating with groups rivalry to KACITA some of them operating via WhatsApp groups.
