The traders have joined politicians in a fight against high taxes on commodities in the country.

The traders have asked the government to reduce the Value Added Taxes as a way of reducing prices on commodities which have caused a number of riots where a score of people have lost lives and others sustaining injuries.

Joseph Kasibante, the Chairman National Taxpayers Organization (NATO) says that the government should at least reduce VAT (Value Added Tax) on essential goods in the 2011/2012 financial year that will commence in July.

Kasibante who says that he appreciates the current global economic crisis, adds that the Ugandan taxes are unnecessarily high.

Kasibante asks government to levy different VAT on different products depending on the necessity of products saying that salt, construction materials, water, foods, clothes and others in that category should be subsidized. He adds that luxurious goods like cigarettes, alcohol, toys and the like should be taxed highly to compensate for the subsidized goods because one can live without them.

However, President Museveni has of recent said that he will not succumb to any public pressure to reduce taxes. The President says that the country will use other avenues like refining oils in Bunyoro region and put up irrigation schemes to counter the economic crisis.

By Issa Asuman

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