URA CG, John Musinguzi meeting the UCCA team last Friday
In a bid to streamline the clearance of consolidated cargo and improve trade facilitation, the Commissioner General of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), John Rujoki Musinguzi, met with members of the Uganda Cargo Consolidators Association (UCCA) on Friday, 5th September 2025, at URA headquarters, Nakawa.
At the heart of the discussions was a plan to integrate the IT systems of URA and UCCA, enabling instant data sharing, a move aimed at accelerating cargo clearing procedures. The meeting also focused on the registration, licensing, and regulation of all cargo consolidators, a measure intended to facilitate clearing while reducing the risks posed by fraudulent actors in the sector.
Kenneth Ayebare, Chairperson of UCCA, praised URA’s strides in digitalization of customs clearing procedures and emphasized the association’s commitment to achieving similar automation.
“We agree that URA is moving fast regarding automation. As an association of consolidators, we are also now on the verge of automation, and today we came to present our proposals.”
Ayebare also highlighted ongoing challenges: “Our other issue is that it’s still a challenge to identify who is an ideal consolidator or who is fake, and the traceability of goods.”
He added that with proper records from both URA and UCCA, traceability will become seamless, adding that consolidators could easily track cargo responsibility if records are jointly maintained.
Commissioner‑General Musinguzi lauded UCCA for choosing to be “part of the solution, not the problem,” reinforcing that proper registration and regulation are essential to curb illicit activity.
“There is no business that can work without regulation and registration. All cargo consolidators are our partners in facilitating business; therefore, no need to shy away from registration,” he asserted.
Musinguzi warned that failure to register consolidators has historically enabled container leaders and smugglers, urging that “We need to register and license consolidators. Let us do what is required within the law.”
URA also pledged to prioritize faster clearances, especially for individual house bills, to support a more efficient system.
The Commissioner‑General called for a streamlined cargo clearance process that balances speed, revenue protection, and system interoperability:
“I want the process to be good in all ways, good in speed, revenue, and all. In terms of system development, you have a good system. Let our IT work with you to optimise this system,” instructed Musinguzi.
On the subject of ethics, Musinguzi emphasized integrity as the backbone of the initiative.
“If there is anything that will build your group, it is integrity. Let it be good enough, and build you and the government without cutting corners. If you do otherwise, you will be shooting yourself in the foot.”
The meeting marks a significant step toward modernizing Uganda’s cargo consolidation landscape. By aligning digital systems, bolstering regulation, and promoting ethical practices, both URA and UCCA signal a shared commitment to facilitating efficient, reliable trade operations across the region.
