Kampala Minister Beti Kamya assures City traders on rent reduction

By Namugerwa Martha

 Minister for Kampala Beti Kamya has promised Kampala city traders that she is going to meet their landlords to discuss on how they could reduce the hiked rent dues.

Kamya while in the meeting with the traders yesterday promised that she is going to have a meeting with the land lords in the city to discuss about the rent of their tenants to reduce the conflict between tenants and landlords.

Kato Hussein the chairman of traders renting on the Mini price Arcade said that traders have always striked over rent increment almost every week but the landlords have paid a deaf ear about their issue.

He said that after Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) levied a high amount of property tax to the landlords that has forced them to increase the rent of their buildings.

“A landlord, who was paying Shs15m property tax for a building, was levied to pay Shs45m by June 1, 2017. Property tax is paid annually on six per cent of the rateable value of the property,” Kato said.

Kato added that the Rent for a shop in Kampala City is above Shs1m in addition to power bills and every shop owner must also pay trading license, which ranges from Shs175,000 to Shs1.5m, to KCCA which forces many traders to leave the city and decide to operate  their businesses outside the Kampala city.

“Uganda Revenue Authority also taxes income tax per shop. The smallest shop pays Shs600,000 in income tax,” kato added.

He further added that they have constantly tried to reach their land lord Mr. Drake Lubega who refused to meet and talk to them and that forced them to ask for a meeting with Hon. Kamya to talk about their problems and also help them find solutions.

However, Drake Lubega said that those traders who constantly strike over his building’s rent are not his tenants they are just bragging nonsense.