Hoima Central market vendors granted tax waiver for unpaid taxes

HOIMA, UGANDA: The East Division authorities have finally resolved the pressure on Central market vendors and agreed to grant them a tax waiver.

According to the sources, the division authorities held a meeting with the vendors on Wednesday evening who had rejected to be re-registered such they operate they continue operating in the market.

In December last year, the Hoima East Division authorities had decided to re-register all market vendors who wish to operate in the market for easy identification and monitoring which the vendors rejected.

During the meeting, the vendors demanded a tax waiver sighting reasons for the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic and unregulated street vending which has reduced their earnings.
“We are requesting a tax waiver for the past years because we have been operating in the Covid 19 era coupled with uncontrolled street vending in the city which has resulted in limited customers hence fewer earnings, so please we are requesting for sympathy”. Said the vendors.

It is alleged that some vendors have not been paying taxes for the last six years, this has resulted in the accumulation of debts to over 120 million shillings.

Speaking to DailyExpress today, the Hoima East Division Mayor Hon. Bosco Muhanuzi says, as authorities, they have decided to pardon the vendors for the unpaid taxes for the previous years but said they are to start paying taxes for the financial year 2020/21 up to date.
“We listened to the issues raised by the vendors and depending on the issues raised we decided to halt the re-registration exercise for the Hoima Central market vendors and given them a tax waiver for the previous years”. Hon. Muhanuzi said.

Meanwhile, Julius Ayesiga The chairperson of Hoima Central market asked the Division authorities to work upon the challenge of uncontrolled street vending in various parts of Hoima city which he says it is a great threat to the vendors.