WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SHOW FOR HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS VISIT TO UGANDA?

I have a Calendar for 2016 which I personally designed and has a fair impression of the visit to Uganda.

 

HOW TO START A BUSINESS IN UGANDA

How to start a Uganda Business

If you're a business traveler to Africa intending to start a Uganda business, this Business Guide will help you in 3 major areas.

• First of all, it will help you familiarize with the standard Uganda government procedures for starting a business.
• Secondly, it will help evaluate how much time it will take to get formal business registration
• And thirdly, it will help you estimate how much it will cost you to fulfill the baseline Company licensing procedures in Uganda.

After you have seen what it takes to register your business, you should be able to determine whether you will hire a Uganda Business Consultant to walk you through the process or you will do it yourself.

When to register your Uganda Business

Whereas you can start and operate a business in Uganda for years without any formal Registration.

I mean, it is not even illegal to operate certain small businesses in Uganda without registration,

But, once your clientele begins to expand, it will become difficult for you to clinch those big deals without a fully registared business.

There are about 18 general procedures you will need to fullfill before you can start a formal business in Uganda.

The procedures can increase or decrease depending on the industry within which your business will be operating.

Here are some of the small business opportunities you can pursue without any registration in Uganda.

Starting your Small business without any registration is prudent when you want to save on your start up resources. But ,my advice is that you should formalize your business upfront, if you hope to reap the benefits of business growth.

Your business will need formal existence in the following circumstances.

• When accessing credit from a financial Institution
• When acquiring raw materials from a serious supplier, and
• When doing business with the Government of Uganda.

Where to Register your Uganda Business

• Registration with a Locality, Village or Market: Is suitable for Micro Businesses.
• Registration with the District Authorities: Is suitable for Bigger businesses localized in a particular District.
• Registration with the Registrar of Companies: Is suitable if your business will operate across the country.

Tip Because you will incur reasonable costs, in terms of time and Money, while processing your business registration, you need to follow the procedure that matches the size of your planned Uganda business.

The're several Law firms and Business Consulting firms in Uganda that can help you with this process as it tends to consume alot of valuable business time.

The 18 Uganda Business Registration Procedures

1. Reserve your company Name at the Registrar's office. Duration 2 days and Cost UGX 25,000
   
   
   To reserve a company name, the Investor files a company name request at the Office of the Registrar. A clerk conducts an automated search and forwards the application to a staff lawyer.
   The Registrar reviews the application and, if the application is approved, returns it with the assessment, which the Investor takes to the bank. Upon paying the fee, the founder receives a receipt that is used to complete the name reservation.
2. Pay registration fees at the bank. Duration 1 day
   
   
   You need to make all non-tax payments to government agencies at a bank.
3. Obtain the necessary incorporation and Tax registration forms from the Uganda Bookshop. Duration 1 day and Cost UGX 5600.
   The fees for each of the required incorporation forms are as follows:
   • Statement of nominal capital: UGX 500.
   • Declaration of compliance with the requirements of the Companies Act (Form A2): UGX 500.
   • Particulars of directors and secretaries: UGX 700.
   • Consent to act as director of company: UGX 500.
   • Notice of situation of the registered office and the registered post address: UGX 500.
4. Sign the declaration of compliance before the commissioner of oaths. Duration 1 day and cost UGX 10,000
   Your Declaration of compliance with the requirements of the Companies Act (FORM A2), must be commissioned (signed and sealed) before a commissioner for oaths, who is an advocate. The other documents can be witnessed by any other reputable person because they are not an oath.
5. Obtain requisition for bank pay-in slip and Bank payment Advice forms from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau. Duration 1 day and Cost UGX 0 (Zero)
   Computerized processes reduced the time frame for paying government levies, such as fees for licenses and certificates. The process requires only 30 minutes, down from 4 working days.
6. Pay registration fees at a given bank. Duration 1 day and Cost UGX 2500 Bank Charges
   Registration receipts are obtained from the bank where the fees were paid (within 30–40 minutes). Previously, the Investor would pay the fee at the bank and then wait for 3 days to pick up the receipts from the Ministry of Justice.
7. File with the registra general , Duration 1 day.
   Fee schedule for company registration:
   • Registration fees: UGX 100,000
   • Stamp duty: 0.5 % of shared capital.
   • Stamp duty on Articles of Association: UGX 35,000 ( flat fee).
   Registration fees depend on the amount of share capital. They increase as the share capital increases. For instance, the fee for share capital UGX 5 million is UGX 160,000, and for share capital 10 million, UGX 186,000. Registration fees for a company whose share capital does not exceed UGX 40,000 has been increased to UGX 100,000.
8. File with the local office of the Uganda Revenue Authority , a personal inquiry form for each director and a coporate preliminary inquiry form, Recieve a tax Identification Number (TIN). Duration 3 days and Cost UGX O (Zero)
9. Apply for coperate tax number. Duration 1 day and Cost UGX 0 (Zero)
10. Apply for VAT registration. Duration 1 day and Cost UGX 0 (Zero)
    The current threshold for VAT is only for businesses with annual returns of UGX 50 million and above. However, if a company’s quarterly returns amount to USH 12.5 million and above, it should register for VAT. Only registered income tax payers may apply for VAT. An inspector from the Uganda Revenue Authority must inspect the business premises before a VAT certificate is issued.
11. An inspector from Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) comes to inspect your Uganda business premices. Duration 1 day and Cost UGX 0 (Zero)
12. Apply for Pay As You Earn (PAYE). Duration 1 day and Cost UGX 0 (Zero)
    The pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) tax is paid by the employee but collected by the employer. This tax comes into effect later, upon the company becoming operational. Rates are applied depending on the employee’s yearly income; for instance, Employees earning below 1,560,000 do not pay PAYE, 10% is taxed on incomes exceeding UGX 1.56 million but not exceeding UGX 2,820,000. The amount increases as the income increases.
13. Obtain application forms for a Trading Licence. Duration 1 day
    For ease of distribution of trading licenses, a decentralized system has been set up in which the 5 companies were appointed to collect dues on behalf of Kampala City Council (KCC) for each of the city’s five administrative divisions.
14. Licensing officer arranges to inspect your company premices and fills out an assesment form. Duration 1 day and Cost UGX 0 (Zero)
    The trading license is a general Uganda business license required for all companies, including service companies. The issuing authority is the municipal authority in the jurisdiction where the business premises are situated. A trading license can be obtained almost instantly, if the necessary documents on the nature of the intended Uganda business activities are available and the amount is assessed by the municipality or city council. Standard forms must be completed and submitted with the memorandum and articles of association and the certificate of incorporation.
15. Pay license fee at the bank. Duration 1 day
    The founder must pay the relevant license fee at the bank, as follows:
    • Opening office: UGX 156,500.
    • Carrying out retail Uganda business: UGX 206,500.
    • Carrying out wholesale Uganda business: UGX 366,500.
16. Obtain the trading license. Duration 1 day.
    If it is deemed necessary, the municipal inspectors (health and building) reserve the right to revoke and cancel the trading license
17. File a form with the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). Duration 4 days and Cost UGX 0 (Zero)
    The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is governed by the revised laws of Uganda, the National Social Security Fund Act Cap 222. The NSSF is a compulsory saving scheme that covers all employees in the private sector, including nongovernmental organizations and parastatal bodies that are not covered by the government pension scheme. Under the Act, every employer must register the company with the NSSF when it has 5 or more employees and all employees ages 16–35 must be NSSF members.
18. Make a company seal, Duration 2 days and Cost UGX 225,500
    A company seal is mandatory.
19. 
    

GIVEN THAT AS BY 4th JUNE 2016 THERE IS NO CABINET IN PLACE, THIS LEAVES UGANDA WITH ONE OPTION OF KEITH MUHAKANIZI THE PERMANENT SECRETARY MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY TO READ THE 2016/2017 NATIONAL BUDGET.

Mr. President Sir, your delay to come up with a cabinet is causing problems. We have not seen a Permanent Secretary read the national budget, but looks like it is the only lawful way that it can be done. The Old cabinet has NO business in the new Government.

Mr. Keith Muhakanizi the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance is left as the final resort to read the 2016/2017 National Budget.

WHAT NEXT AFTER LORD MAYOR HON. ERIAS LUKWAGO IS SWORN IN?

Hon. Erias Lukwago is to be sworn in on Monday, June 6 2016. It is well known that he was forced out of office over conflicting circumstances. Though the people of Kampala did not get his services for over two years, they decided to overwhelmingly vote him back to office.

It will be wise for the Lord Mayor to concentrate on service to the people instead of getting involved in struggles with the state which in many instances demean him. You imagine one is Lord Mayor but at any moment in time Police can decide to keep him at his home without allowing him out. This image can be avoided.

Hon. Erias Lukwago the Lord Mayor.

Hopefully the Lord Mayor will this time settle in office to serve those who elected him.

Secondly, it is wrong to take the Executive Director as a person who does wrong with tax payer resources. If there are issues, let them be properly handled and not resort always to the press because Lukwago himself is also human and cannot be holy. In instances where Lukwago believes that funds may have been misappropriated, he still needs to go slow before pointing accusing fingers as we are reliably told that in some of these instances there is 'power from above'.

There is a lot of political capital the likes of Lukwago get because of press coverage, unfortunately, that does not deliver good services to the people.

The issue of the deputy Lord Mayor hopefully will go to a woman in line with gender balance which is the order of the day.

We also have seen disagreements between the elected representatives and the technical people. Even in this area before matters become so much for public consumption, effort should be made to get to some understanding. It is true, elected leaders at times fail in policy implementation simply because of thinking about losing votes as compared to delivering what is best given the development needs of these areas.

MADAM Jennifer Musisi in the eyes of a number of people has delivered. Even if she were to leave the job, another opportunity could be waiting even at the level of some international job as she has delivered where many mostly the politicians would see as a none go area for which she has been credited as well as awarded.

Lord Mayor is coming when there are big projects like the clock tower modification which calls for cooperation between the politicians and the technical team.

Some of the problems of Kampala City which call for cooperation of the parties if they are to be overcome.

It will be most unfortunate if the Lord Mayor remains in battle og the IGP's men.

The Police spokesperson will always be ready to defend police action against the Lord Mayor.

VULNERABLE CHILDREN BEING GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE.

Kayanja Ronald is a vulnerable child whose chances for better livelihood are being boosted because he is attached to a Children's Home which has been able to attract assistance from donors to help make ends meet for these children.

Ronald is about to complete his 1st term holiday. He is studying at Shimoni Teachers' College so that he becomes a grade III teacher.

Kayanja is humble. In the holiday he has done some digging and he is seen trimming.

A PASTOR IN UGANDA WILL TELL YOU AS FOLLOWS:

You see this house, pray to God, pray it will be yours. Keep praying. I for one, I think the best advice is that one gets the right connections and he works so hard to be able to get a house as the one below. 

 

I am convinced that is the right approach which should then be followed by prayer.

WHY DOESN'T UGANDA UTILIZE THE EXISTING TELE - CONFERENCING FACILITIES AND INSTEAD INCONVENIENCES THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS WASTED MONEY?

Uganda has Tele - Conference Facilities which are not optimally utilized. The experience with recent developments where in order to boost security for foreign dignitaries Government decided to close a number of roads which inconvenienced many people and got business to near standstill. The Tele - Conference Facilities can be put into State House and other vital areas instead of inconveniencing the business community. Uganda Parliament has also the practice of getting Members of Parliament into foreign travel in areas where Tele - Conferencing Facilities would suffice. This is to call upon relevant Government organs to do the needful. You cannot dream of modernisation when you are practicing stone age technology.