Municipality leaders defy Museveni directive on dues

Masaka Municipality leaders have defied President Museveni’s directive banning daily levies charged on informal businesses.
In his July 22, 2017 letter to the Prime Minister and copied to Local Government and Finance ministers, Mr Museveni said informal business groups such as food vendors, gonja (roasted plantain) sellers, and maize sellers as well as taxi operators should only pay annual licences, not daily dues and operate without daily hindrances.
But roadside vendors operating along various streets in Masaka Town claim municipal authorities have continued to charge them daily dues in total disregard of the presidential directive.

Complaints
The vendors, especially those operating on Edward Avenue, Elgin Street and Market area on Wednesday said a tenderer who collects dues from them does not issue receipts to acknowledge receipt of money but rather gives them small chits to show that they have cleared.
The vendors say they pay a daily fee of between Shs500 and Shs1,000 depending on one’s business.
Senior Presidential Press Secretary Don Wanyama said it is the duty of the line ministry (Local Government ministry) to implement the presidential directive.
“The President pronounced himself on the matter and, therefore, the ministries he directed are the ones to implement his directive. So, if they have failed, it is their weakness, not the President’s,” he said by telephone yesterday.
Mr Sezi Ssekandi, a chapatti dealer, said the municipal authorities have failed to disclose the name of the firm they contracted to collect the dues.
“When we approached the mayor, Mr Godfrey Kayemba, he told us that we are not supposed to pay dues because President Museveni banned them but someone moves around daily, collecting money from us,” he said.

Contradictions
Mr Kayemba said the vendors are supposed to operate freely along the streets since majority are youth and widows who could not afford paying daily dues.
“Most of our people are surviving on those small businesses and there is no way we can tax them. Whoever is doing it is fleecing them of their meagre earnings,” he said. However, Mr Paul Omoko, the town clerk, dismissed the claims, saying “Mr Kayemba is simply playing politics”.
“Both the vendors and the mayor are aware of everything concerning the daily dues. The [dues] vendors pay are legal, the vendors themselves selected a committee under their body, Masaka Market Vendors Association, and it is that association that has the tender of collecting that money,” he said.
Mr Serestinah Byarugaba, one of those who collect dues from vendors, said they always give out receipts to vendors although some do not keep them. “We do not have defined fees for vendors; we charge them according to what they sell. if the merchandise is of high price, we charge Shs1,000, those with petty items pay Shs500,” he said.