Uganda, April 21 -- Traders across the region are up in arms against heavy taxation by the ruling regimes that are hard-put to fund burgeoning budgets amid a cash crunch caused by debt servicing and slowing economies.

The governments of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have proposed a raft of tax proposals aimed at generating more revenues despite protests from taxpayers. In Uganda, the business community has been fighting off efforts to levy additional taxes to achieve its Ush30 trillion ($7.87 billion) target for the upcoming financial year.

The Treasury is facing a cash crunch to meet both its current budget deficit and its upcoming 2024/25 fiscal year budget.

The government needs an extra Ush5.64 trillion ($1.48 billion) to fund its Shs5...