Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has been accused by a section of MPs from the West Nile region of using cruel methods of collecting taxes.
The MPs including Driwaru Zaitun (Yumbe Woman MP), Rose Atim Ayaka (Maracha Woman MP), Ashraf Olega (Aringa County- Yumbe district) and David Abala (Ngora County) allege URA’s old-fashioned methods of collecting taxes have left one man without his testicles.
The MPs made the allegations on Friday during a press briefing at Parliament.
The remarks follow riots that rocked Yumbe district last week that saw rowdy residents set ablaze vehicles belonging to URA, protesting the ‘inhumane’ methods the tax body staff were using to collect taxes in West Nile region.
While detailing the fracas that marred the demonstration, Ayaka said that the security officers who had accompanied the URA staff were forced to fire bullets, which ended up injuring five residents.
“Five people were injured on spot; one had injury on his head, another on his right arm, and another on his left arm. One person had injury on his testicles; he lost his testicle and this is a man who has got two children and now that he has lost his testicle, we don’t know what is going to happen about his reproductive system,” Ayaka said.
Driwaru condemned the methods URA was using to collect taxes, describing them as crude arguing that the technique has led to loss of lives.
However, the MPs didn’t reveal the identity of the man that lost his reproductive organs following the gruesome attacks of the spray bullets, saying there was need to protect his identity.
“We are very grieved that our people are languishing in hospitals and URA is unapologetic. This is unacceptable. They must apologise publically that their methods of collecting tax is unacceptable,” Driwaru said, adding: “They must meet the medical bills of the people who are languishing in hospitals and they must also compensate especially that man whose reproductive right has been disabled.”
The development comes at a time when the tax body informed the Parliament Committee on Finance that they are grappling with Shs773bn tax revenue shortfall, of which Shs417bn is tax arrears attributed to Government agencies.
URA Responds
When contacted, Vincent Seruma, the Assistant Commissioner Public and Corporate Affairs denied allegations that URA is using crude methods in tax collections, saying that despite the fact that the officers meet resistance during tax collections, they are compelled to carry out their duties in a professional manner.
“If the allegations of the injuries are true, it isn’t in our intention to hurt people while conducting our duties because it doesn’t add anything to us. If it happened, it was an accident. We meet a lot of unwillingness and non-compliance, but we do our work with professionalism and with great restraint,” Seruma said.
