Kwania boda operators Protest government tax

A government-pushed proposal to levy an extra tax of Shs 50,000 on motorcycles has touched off a fierce debate and protest among members of Kwania Boda Boda Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (Sacco).

In the new proposal, the government suggests that all owners of motorcycles including Boda Boda operators will be subjected to an annual tax of Shs 50,000 effective July 2021.

The levy, which is currently being scrutinized by the finance committee of Parliament, is among a string of new taxes government intends to introduce to raise at least Shs200b in annual revenue.

However, the over 200 Boda Boda Sacco members, under their umbrella group; Kwania Boda Boda Association (KBBA), have asked the government to back down on the proposal.

Speaking during the annual general meeting on April 15, the Boda operators argued that levying an extra tax on their operations would diminish their earnings.

Jimmy Obaro, a Sacco member, said an extra tax would push them out of business.

“Currently, motorcycle owners pay an annual Public Service Van (PSV) license of Shs 60,000 and Shs50, 000 for motor third party, leave alone the local service tax, if the government goes ahead to levy another tax then many would be left with no option but to quit Boda Boda business, this will affect our Sacco, which entirely depends on the Boda Boda job,” he said in an interview.

Another Boda Boda rider, Robert Abal, who operates at Aduku mayor’s garden, said from about Shs 40,000 to Shs 50,000 he makes weekly, he saves Shs 100,000 monthly. He is worried that the new tax will affect his savings and render him bankrupt.

Walter Opyene, the Kwania Boda Boda Sacco chairperson, said 80 percent of his members got motorcycles on loans and are saddled with the burden of repaying the money. He wants the government to back down on the proposal.

In an exclusive interview with the Cooperator last Wednesday, Bageya Waiswa, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Works, said an extra tax on the Boda Boda sector will help the government to ascertain whether a motorcycle meets required standards.

“Regulating the motorcycle or the Boda Boda industry will in the first place, reduce rampant motorcycle thefts, control accidents and all in all raise revenue to improve service delivery,” he said, noting that the government had restarted the process to ensure SGS resumes inspecting motorcycles and motor vehicles.

According to Bageya, the government is seeking to at least raise Shs7b from motorcycle license.

So far 63,878 motorcycles have already been cleared to enter the country during the first and second quarter of the 2022/21 financial year. However, the current trends indicate the figure will grow by the end of this financial year, giving the government an opportunity to increase revenue projections.

Buy your copy of theCooperator magazine from one of our countrywide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news

The post Kwania boda operators Protest government tax appeared first on The Cooperator News.

Rwampara SACCOs Get Nod To Borrow Emyooga Funds

RWAMPARA – April 14 was a day of celebration and a moment of renewed hope for members of saving groups in the Western district of Rwampara after they got the official nod to borrow Emyooga funds.

The district officially launched the presidential Initiative on Emyoga last Wednesday, which opened the access door for saving groups, SACCOs, to get the government’s poverty alleviation funds.

When most SACCOs in the country received Emyooga funds in November and December last year, Rwampara district was pushed on the sidelines.

In March 2021, Emmy Kateera Turyabagyenyi, the Rwampara Resident District Commissioner, reported to the Minister for Microfinance Haruna Kasoro that SACCOs were barred from accessing Emyooga funds in Post Bank where 36 SACCOs had opened bank accounts.

However, on April 14 residents broke out in joyous celebrations at Nyeihanga playground in Nyeihanga town council where 36 Saccos from both counties of Rwampara district were handed certificates –officially giving them the nod to withdraw Emyooga funds to kick-start their projects that had stalled since August last year.

Amon Mutabarura, the Rwampara district commercial officer (DCO), said the delay allowed proper sensitization of members to put money to good use.

He confirmed that Rwampara received Shs 1.4 billion and all the money is already wired to their bank accounts.

“All the 36 SACCOs have gotten the money, it’s already on their accounts and they have all the freedom to withdraw this money,” Mutabarura said.

“What we have achieved is what started in the month of August when the president asked us to go and teach people how to save money through their SACCOs,” he added

In his remarks, the RDC Turyabagyenyi warned; “We are going to monitor them and in case this money we have dispersed today is misused either by an individual or leaders we shall definitely apprehend them. The clients of the SACCO are group members, not individuals.”

Turyabagyenyi said more parish development funds will be disbursed in July 2021 to benefit every parish, which will be receiving Shs 40million per association.

“This money according to the guidelines is basically to empower the parish associations meaning that those which will have been saving with Emyooga SACCOs will benefit more and longer. As long as the SACCOs keep performing well according to the monitoring report they will qualify to get up to Shs 100 million from the Microfinance Support Centre as the lead agency at 8% per annum which will continue flowing every year,” he said.

Vincent Nuwagaba, the DCO Mbarara, reported that the program has already registered some setbacks since it is not intended to aggregate the already existing cooperatives/SACCO issues.

“Emyooga was a good initiative for the president but you see groups at the parish level forming a SACCO and the SACCO operating at a constituency level within the specific 18 Emyooga associations like mechanics but it’s high time government thought about injecting money in the already existing cooperatives in every financial year to increase on their portfolio” Nuwagaba advised

He also bashed Microfinance Support Centre (MSC) for delaying releasing Emyooga certificates.

“The money came on 23rd December 2020 but the certificates have come in April. Count the time wasted since then,” Nuwagaba said.

Andrew Zimbe, the Micro Finance Support Centre (MFSC) Zonal manager southwestern, warned district technical staff to refrain from taking bribes from Emyooga co-operators.

“Some commercial officers in certain districts are taking bribes to clear SACCOs to access Emyooga funds. Don’t do anything before you consult, leave the RDC and the CAO who is your boss to give you updates,” Zimbe said

“I want to congratulate you for having arrived on this day but no association should access a loan without following the guidelines, which are stipulated in the lending policy. Like where I have been before an association goes to access part of the Shs 30million it should have saved 20% with the SACCO,” Zimbe said.

Buy your copy of theCooperator magazine from one of our countrywide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news

The post Rwampara SACCOs Get Nod To Borrow Emyooga Funds appeared first on The Cooperator News.

Zombo signs EFOTI deal To improve tea yields

WEST NILE –Tea growing in the West Nile district of Zombo has got an accelerating effort that could boost local production.

Zombo Tea Growers’ Cooperative Society and Edwin Tea Foundation Initiative, EFOTI, a company with good expertise in tea farming, have signed a memorandum of understanding that aims largely at promoting tea research, production, productivity, value addition, and tea product diversification in Zombo for five years.

The MoU was signed last Friday, April 9, by the Chairman of the Cooperative, Christopher Unencan, the Secretary, Jungiera Geoffrey, and Aneniwu Patrick, a cooperative tea farmer, and Edwin Beekunda Atukunda, the founder of EFOTI.

Unencan told theCooperator in an interview that, “We signed the MoU to enable us to work in partnership with EFOTI in our district to build the capacity of farmers in terms of training and value addition.”

Tea growing was reintroduced in Zombo in 2013-2014. Unencan said members who planted tea in 2016-2018 are harvesting now.

Unencan said the cooperative, formed in 2016, has over 300 registered members, who have grown over 500 acres of tea.

He said, however, that despite the huge acreage of tea plantations, members are still earning very little from the enterprise because there is no factory in the area to process the harvest and add value to attract high prices.

“The registered members of the cooperative suggested that we come to an agreement with EFOTI because they have been struggling to sell their tea. They are selling their tea locally after a very long and tiring process of pounding the leaves using the mortar and pestle,” Unencan said.

He said farmers believe the MoU will spur the establishment of a tea processing factory.

Although there are about 36 tea processing factories in Uganda, all of them are concentrated in western and southwestern Uganda.

Edwin Atukunda Beekunda, the founder of EFOTI, said an area qualifies to get a factory after planting at least 2000 acres of tea.

He said following the MoU, EFOTI will conduct training in agronomic practices to enable improvements in tea yields and quantity and also promote value addition, processing, branding, packaging, marketing, and export.”

He said they will also, “Build the capacity of tea nursery operators, tea growers, students and other stakeholders for improved tea cultivation, processing, and marketing.”

Tea is one of the leading cash crops in Uganda with a yearly export of 65,000 metric tonnes. A 2020 report by Ugtea shows that Uganda is the second leading tea producer and exporter in Africa and among the top 15 in the world.

Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country- wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news

The post Zombo signs EFOTI deal To improve tea yields appeared first on The Cooperator News.