South Sudanese fish traders in Arua city are appealing to the government of Uganda to wave off import duties tax on them but rather levy withholding tax of 0.2% as the spirit of East Africa community.
This was aired to this blog site - dailywestnile.info news desk by the chairperson of South Sudanese fish Traders Association in Arua City, Mr. Ton Mathew who revealed that they have written to the office of the area Member of Parliament for Arua central Division, Hon. Jackson Atima Lee demanding the government of Uganda to wave off import tax on them but rather levy withholding tax of 0.2 %as citizens of Kenya do pays to the government of Uganda.
He further added that in November last year they received letter from the Uganda Revenue Authority that their taxes have been increased from 0.3 %to 0.6 % which now is crippling their business
He also further said that when they started the business in 2020 they were paying 3 million shillings only per truck which was fair but from 2021 around November they were directed to pay 17million shillings to 20 million shillings per single truck which is affecting them so badly.
He further stressed that because of the double taxation they are making a lot of losses.
The area Member of Parliament for Arua Central, Hon. Jackson Atima Lee says that after receiving the letter, he had a meeting with the officials of Uganda Revenue Authority that accepted to reduce tax from 0.6% to 0.3% but since South Sudan has not yet ratified to the East Africa community, the citizens of the country cannot be taxed equally with others citizens of the countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania among others.
There are over three hundred workers that the south Sudanese fish traders has employed in Arua city.
BY: LAWRENCE -Dailywestnile.info
