Multi-sectoral committee to check influx of petty foreign traders

Trade minister Amelia Kyambadde (seated middle) is chairing the new committe. (Credit: Samuel Sanya)

TRADE

The minister of trade, industry and cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde has unveiled a multi-sectoral committee to oversee the implementation of cabinet decisions on the influx of foreigners in Uganda's domestic trade.

The cabinet-mandated committee comes in the wake of protests by traders in Kampala in September 2016 over an influx of foreign traders whom they argued were driving local traders out of business by selling at very low prices.

The committee, which will be chaired by minister Kyambadde, consists of top officials from Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), the directorate of immigration, the local government ministry and Bank of Uganda, among others.

It was unveiled during a meeting at the trade ministry boardroom towards the end of last week.

During the meeting, the trade minister pointed out that the committee has been charged with expediting the formulation of the Local Content Bill, 2017 beyond oil and gas to cover all other sectors.

She also noted that the trade ministry is set to issue guidelines to local governments and urban authorities on procedures of licensing foreign traders to specify areas that are restricted to Ugandans.

According to a Cabinet paper, the committee is also set to oversee the amendment the Employment Act, 2006 to make special provision for jobs for locals, a provision requiring attachment of local staff to understudy foreign experts and to prescribe timelines for the employment of foreign expatriates.

The committee will also oversee the amendment of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act and the Refugee Act, to mainstream refugee coordination and management.

Also included in the committee's mandate will be the strengthening of the directorate of immigration through computerization and use of information and communication technology to ease enforcement of compliance of immigrants in adhering to their categories of work permits

Cabinet has also instructed the committee to review the Investment Code Act to provide for affirmative incentives to promote local investors, according to Kyambadde.

Steven Kamukama, the trade ministry commissioner in charge of external trade, said the diverse setup of the committee will enable the creation of holistic solutions to the issue of foreign petty traders.