“I Have Over 2000 Cows But No One Taxes Me” Speaker Among Urges Government To Tax Her And Other Ugandans

The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has urged the government to seek other tax sources instead of relying on the same group of taxpayers.

Presiding over parliament on Thursday, Among noted that the ongoing disagreement between the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and traders stems from the traders feeling weighed down by various taxes.

She stressed the need for the government to look for other taxable sectors, including the informal sector.

“I own over 2,000 cows and am not charged any taxes, nor does anyone ask how much income I generate from them. We should broaden the tax base rather than causing the traders to struggle. Many people have numerous cows; the government should begin taxing them,” Among stated.

The Speaker’s remarks come after more than a week of protests by traders against URA’s implementation of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solutions (EFRIS) system.

Traders have voiced concerns about what they see as double taxation and criticized the lack of clear information about the EFRIS system’s operation and goals.

They also argue that the EFRIS system’s high implementation costs, such as the need for modern technology, additional receipt-printing equipment, and hiring a person to manage it, create added expenses.

President Yoweri Museveni is set to meet with the leaders of the striking traders today to address their concerns.