Kampala city traders close shops

By Vision Reporter 

Some shops in down town Kampala Tuesday morning remained closed amidst a heavy police deployment as traders demonstrate over Pre-Import Verification of Conformity Standrads.

The traders opposed to the fees involved in the exercise which they say is very costly.

Appearing on a local television Tuesday morning trade minister, Amelia Kyambadde, said that Uganda is under pressure to implement Pre-Import Verification of Conformity.

The scheme is meant to fight the entry of counterfeit, fake and substandard products into the country. Under the scheme, traders are supposed to import merchandise from an approved list of manufacturers.

A survey done by the New Vision has shown that shops along Kikuubo lane, Luwum, William, Ben Kiwawuka, Johnson Streets and Kampala Road have not opened.

Police have heavily deployed in the city to avert any riotous situation.

Everest Kayondo, the Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) head noted that the word “export” in the scheme, exempts importers from paying inspection fees adding that the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) should take on the manufacturers where the products are purchased.

“The scheme places the task of quality on the exporters – Are we exporters? If there are any fines, they must be paid by the exporters in the countries where goods originate from,” Kayondo said.

“Our task must be to give documents to the UNBS for follow-up. We support the scheme, but not the way it is being implemented. The commodities should be verified from the factories".

The Pre-export Verification scheme was initiated in 2009 but was temporarily suspended in January after high compliance costs and verification delays adversely affected import traders.

First time importers are required to pay 0.5% of the value of their merchandise, regular importers pay 0.45%, and certified factories pay 0.2%.

Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) released the first list of goods subject to the Pre-Import Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme.

Food and food products, electrical and electronics including solar equipment, chemical products including cosmetics, toys and mosquito nets have been chosen as the first imports to be inspected in their countries of export.