Ibrahim Bbosa
The Uganda Revenue Authority – URA is expected to collect 2 trillion Shillings in the next six days to hit the annual target.
This was revealed by Ibrahim Bbosa, the URA Assistant Commissioner for Communication and Corporate Affairs. In this financial year, URA’s target was 25.5 Trillion Shillings.
Bbosa who was meeting with leaders of the Kampala City Trader’s Associations-KACITA said that the outstanding amount can be realized. He added that the authority is doing whatever is possible to hit its target before the year ends.
“For the remaining days, we are looking for 2 trillion shillings, and we are confident that we can achieve it because many people have file returns late,” Bbosa explained.
Bbosa also pointed out the several tax administration measures the authority has put up, to make sure it realizes its target.
“We are now using a lot of technology, in tax administration, you can see “We are using intrusive scanners, drones, and many other technological solutions, and all these are aimed at making us more efficient in our operations as well as being equitable with our clients,” he said.
He added that the authority is ready to maximize the tax penalty exemption that the government provided for the taxpayer, with arrears.
At the budget reading, the Minister for Finance Matia Kasaija said that the government had waived off all penalty fees and interests accumulated on tax arrears. He said that taxpayers have to pay their arrears by 31st December 2023, if they are to benefit from the waiver.
According to Bbosa, this is another avenue through which they will collect more revenue, adding that it will also improve their relationship with the taxpayers.
Thaddeus Musoke, the KACITA Acting Chairperson, faulted URA for non-matching tax assessment reports that the business community has always complained about, as well as the unfriendly enforcement mechanisms.
He adds that the authority’s enforcement team has even gone ahead to seal off some of the shops, which move they protest.
Issa Ssekito, the KACITA Spokesperson, says that traders should meet their tax obligations so as to gain the mandate to demand their rights from the government.
Ssekito says that as traders are ready to use all the provided avenues, to improve the relationship between them and the government as well as URA.
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