Catherine Bekunda
5 November 2009
Kampala — MPs want Kampala City Council (KCC) to refund over sh3b it has been collecting from the traders through illegal trading licences.
Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) in May petitioned Parliament seeking a probe into the legality of the trade licence fees levied by the KCC prior to the enactment of the Trade Licensing Amendment Act.
The committee observed that since 2000, KCC had increased the licence fees of the traders without any corresponding statutory instrument and, therefore, collected the money illegally.
"This has been broad-day robbery and KCC should be accountable because of harassing the business community," said Erias Lukwago, the Kampala central MP, who tabled the Petition on behalf of the traders.
He noted that on many occasions, companies contracted to collect revenue do not remit the funds to the city authority account.
"It is not fair for traders to be cheated for 10 years, KACITA should seek redress in the courts of law," noted Beatrice Anywar (FDC).
The Trade Act requires wholesale traders to pay from sh60,000 to sh100,000 and retail traders sh20,000 to sh35,000 but the fees were increased to a range of sh360,000 to sh950,000 by KCC. KACITA spokesman Issa Ssekito commended the MPs, saying they would pursue legal redress.
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