Amin abolishes business tax

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33601, 1 August 1974, Page 17

Amin abolishes business tax

(N Z P A -Heuter —Copyright) LONDON, July 31. , President Amin of Uganda said yesterday that he wanted all his countrymen tc be millionaires, and he announced the abolition of a special business levy tax. In a radio broadcast, he warned the official who introduced the measure, and others, that they faced instant dismissal if they made Ugandans suffer. Earlier, the general had summoned to his office the Secretary of the Treasury (Mr J. Gheria), who introduced the tax when he was acting Minister of Finance. In his broadcast, General Amin said that when he declared economic war against Ugandan Asians his intention had been to "transfer the economy from foreigners to indigenous Ugandans.” He asked how ousinessmen could expand if they had to pay the special tax, which was not part of his Government’s ideology. He wanted all Ugandans to be millionaires, to expand their businesses, and to be free of hatred of those who were doing well and were rich, he said, adding that some Government officials were doing things without his knowledge, and that they would be dealt with “according to the laws of Uganda.”