MUSEVENI confirms his deliberate move to destroy Kenya’s economy amid protests from Kenyans – Look! RUTO would be pissed

Friday, May 10, 2024 – Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has moved to justify the heavy tax imposed on agricultural products being exported to Uganda.

This comes amidst protests from Kenyans, who have termed the tax as punitive and unjustifiable.

However, Museveni stated that it was a deliberate move on his part. 

He remarked that as a move to protect Uganda's interests, his administration would continue taxing consumer goods.

Additionally, goods that help in production and industrialization would continue to be exempted from import tax.

“There is no import tax on select categories such as pharmaceuticals, machinery, and raw materials used for input into manufacturing or development projects,” Museveni remarked on Uganda’s tax policy.

“The issue on the table is the import of consumer goods, which are not medicines, machinery, raw materials, or intermediate products, and our taxation on those items is deliberate.”

Museveni termed the move to continue taxing consumer imports as a strategic tax policy to develop an independent, integrated, and self-sufficient economy.

On how Uganda would have a self-sufficient economy, Museveni promised to protect traders working in pharmaceutical, machinery, and raw materials used for input into manufacturing of development projects.

Museveni further added that export tax on those products will also be negligible. 

The move by Uganda is likely to hurt the Kenyan economy as the East African Community (EAC) is one of the country’s largest trading partners. 

Additionally, Kenya’s exports to Uganda are largely consumer goods with the list dominated by animal, vegetable fats and oils, and cleavage products. 

Other top exports to Uganda are; salts, soap, sugar, and mineral fuels. 

In April, Uganda imposed an extra Ksh3 tax for every kilogram of Irish potatoes being exported to the country.

The Kenyan DAILY POST