The mobile office buses will help URA reach taxpayers in remote areas
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has launched Ta ax Education Mobile Office, the first in East and Central Africa. It’s also the first of a kind in Africa.
Launching the mobile tax office at URA head offices in Kampala, John R. Musinguzi, the URA Commissioner General said the tax body benefitted from the European Union (EU) funding since the Financial year 2018/19 on a number of initiatives including the acquisition of two (2) Specialized Mobile Tax Bus Units (Buses) to support Tax Education and Outreach activities in support of the national agenda of Domestic Revenue Mobilization.
Under the theme “Tujenge Uganda”, the buses are designed to offer mobile tax office services especially to remote areas that lack proximal access to URA offices and electronic services.
Components of the Mobile Bus
The Mobile Buses are composed of a passenger section with seating capacity for 12 staff and 1 driver, a Client Service area exterior with upward swinging windows, a provision for foldable seats for customers and interior working docks and a Client Service Area Interior with a provision for 5 docks and 5 laptops connected to a mobile printer, a rack station for mobile internet access equipment among others.
“The Buses have been procured to facilitate the provision of services to clients in the field and it will have staff from the operational departments of URA,” Musinguzi said, adding that the mobile office will be critical in handling of Clients’ tax related enquiries in places where we have not reached before.
It will also handle technical issues like registration, amendments, payment assessments and all other tax related issues and this will enable URA expand the Tax base.
“The office will also avail knowledge through Taxpayer awareness to clients in the field and answer any questions that may arise,” the URA boss said.
Strategic alignment
In order to meet and exceed Clients and Stakeholder expectations, align with Government frameworks like the NDPIII and the DRMS, URA has prioritized the improvement of Tax Education this Financial year 2021/22 and the Mobile Tax Office (Tujenge Uganda Tax Education and Services Buses-2 Buses have so far been procured with one already delivered here in our midst) for registration, education and compliance.
“The ultimate goal is a transformational Revenue Service for Uganda’s Economic Independence as enshrined in the URA vision. The outcome is to raise enough revenue to fund government expenditure and eliminate donor dependence,” Musinguzi said at the launch event.
He added: “I would like to thank everyone who has ensured that we have this bus delivered today. Special recognition goes to the European Union, and the entire team at URA that has made this possible.”
