Kampala traders agree to reopen shops, Govt pledges to address grievances

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City traders have agreed to reopen their shops following a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, where the government committed to addressing their key concerns. The meeting, held at the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), came in the wake of a traders’ strike over tax-related issues and the arrest of several participants.

During the engagement, traders presented eight major grievances, including the controversial weight tax, customs clearance delays, high customs valuations, low VAT thresholds, foreign nationals in retail trade, and harsh enforcement practices.

In response, Prime Minister Nabbanja assured the traders that their concerns were being taken seriously. Several matters will be taken back to Cabinet for review, while others will be handled through immediate intervention. A joint committee of traders and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) officials has been formed to investigate clearance delays, and a follow-up meeting has been scheduled to discuss enforcement against illegal foreign trade activities.

“We have agreed to reopen our shops on the condition that all the resolutions reached in our meeting with the Prime Minister are implemented,” said traders’ representative Issa Sekitto, urging all members to honour the agreement as they await official communication.



The Prime Minister also requested one month to begin implementing the resolutions and committed to briefing the President on the traders' concerns.