Hon Kemigisha Immaculate a Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Kampala Central women’s leader and business woman has pledged to engage government and President Yoweri Museveni to reduce on the heavy taxes that are chocking businesses in greater Kampala.
Speaking to the eastafricawatch.net reporter in Kamapala, she said several taxes levied on the Ugandan businesses are hurting the Ugandan business community and development in general.
Hon Kemigisha who is also contesting to be the Lord Councillor for Kampala Central (women) said while consulting the voters she has discovered that the business counity in Kampala and general in Uganda are hurting because of exorbitant and careless taxes to the wanahichi(Ugandans).
She stated that President Museveni and his regime’s taxes are terrible and detrimental to development.
“The government may think that they are hurting a small businessman but if he or she was given a better working environment he could slowly become a billionaire who would create and become a better tax base.
The present government or our FDC government should help traders and the Ugandan business community especially in Kampala with good taxes and working environment to grow” She stated.
“These taxes are prohibiting businesses growth and are as well disturbing the growth of the economy and they are also very and very crazy! Does President Museveni have business advisers?” she asked.
Hon Kemigisha who is also a Kampala road based business woman said besides studying business she is a business young lady and she is not happy that President Museveni and the NRM government is stifling businesses with several and what she termed as unnecessary taxes to Ugandans.
“ It is simple logic to know that when you grow the economy and businesses and then you grow a winder tax base and government creates what can be called a ‘cash cow’ of businesses to tax.
What happens if President Museveni over taxes business and businesses collapse? Even most existing businesses in Kampala are collapsing mainly because of too many taxes” Hon Kemigisha stated.
My FDC Party presidential lag bearer Hon Nandala Mafabi wants to fix the economy and put money in the hands of Ugandans, his mission will also see that a proper tax regime is established in Uganda” She added.
“They are certainly some gains President Museveni has made in his close to 40 years rule but remember we should and can have better gains, look at Kenya’s economy for example, they are much better than us and mainly because of better leadership” Hon Kemigisha added.
She said that Uganda has all it takes to take and develop but leadership gaps and especially corruption have been big hindrances.
“Good governance and development are twins, if you have poor leadership it is hard to register development and Uganda’s problems and challenges stem from poor leadership,” she added.
What types of taxes are collected by the government in Uganda?
The Ugandan government collects different taxes such as income tax, value-added tax (VAT), excise duty, and customs/import taxes.
“We also have taxes on salary earners and Ugandans are not very well told how this tax is administered to benefit the country” she said.
What are Hon Kemigisha’s achievements?
She has already empowered and trained over 900 women and youths in Kampala and targets to serve over 200,000 women and youths in the central Division of Kampala this year.
She has also lobbied bursaries to over 100 students who have been trained in short courses and some have been given capital of close one million each.
Other women have been trained in making counter books and she is connecting hundreds of other youths to jobs in Kampala.
She has connected several Kampala central youths to jobs and promises to use her position as a lord councillor to connect more to jobs and work opportunities.
Hon Kemigisha holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She is eloquent and speaks a lot to the media on politics and businesses especially in respect to the Kampala working environment.
Hon Kemigisha is generous, beautiful, and intelligent and loves to work for community empowerment using her connections and resources and that is why she has gained ground as an aspiring lord councillor for Kampala city.
