Source: East African Business Week 
Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has urged Uganda Women operating in the informal sector to formalize their Business by registering them with the Bureau. 

Addressing women during the Business Formalization seminar, the Director Business Registration at URSB Mercy Kainobwisho said women owned enterprises are operating in the informal sector and therefore cannot participate in bidding for contracts to supply Goods and services.

"Women have tried to start up Small and Medium Enterprises but have failed to secure contracts and tenders to supply goods and services from both Government and the cooperate world," she explained

The Director said formalizing enterprises initiated by women apart from opening their doors to the competitive market gives them access to business financing facilities from banks, the government and development partners who offer grants.

According to her URSB receives about 70-80 applicants for business registration however 75% of the applicants are men. She explained that entrepreneurs in Uganda have failed to access credit facilities from Commercial banks and no single financial institution can extend financial facilities to unregistered enterprises.

She warned women not to involve middle men when seeking business registration services from the URSB because the Bureau has made business registration affordable, accessible and takes short period of time.

"As the bureau we have made our services affordable. You can register a business entity with URSBat cost ofUGX 150,000 shillings. The process will take no more than three days and you are certified,"she advised.

The Director disclosed that URSB is to open-up up country business registrationoffices in Mbale, Moroto and other sub registration offices in Kampala on addition to the existing ones in Kampala and the two in Mbarara and Arua.

Kainobwiso expounded said all the centers are going to be one stop business registration centers where the applicant can be served with all the necessary trading Licenses.

The Women however decried the bureaucracy and infringement by government agencies like Kampala Capital City Authority and Uganda Revenue Authority. The said the cost of obtaining trading Licenses from KCCA are high and the different URA tax charges exorbitant that is why the women prefer operating small businesses.

DorahBaluku from the Revenue Collection Directorate at KCCA told participants that it's the central Government which sets the trade Licensing charges(rates).

• Uganda