Some of the beneficiaries of the waiver pose for a photo with the URA CG, John Musinguzi
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has has started the exercise of waiving penalties that were issued for failure to issue finalized receipts.
The taxes were accumulated during the initial stages of URA’s implementation of the the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS), an e-receipt and invoicing solution that eases tax compliance and way of doing business.
In the week-long exercise that started Monday morning, hundreds of taxpayers will be cleared and issued with tax waiver certificates .
Speaking at the exercise, URA Commissioner General, John Rujoki Musinguzi said the penalties were issued in error as defined in Section 24 of the Tax Procedures Act.
“Basing on the evidence you have submitted, your penalties have been waived,” Musinguzi said as he issued certificates to a section of taxpayers.
On the sidelines of the exercise, taxpayers are getting trained on how to effectively use EFRIS to support their compliance. Musinguzi expressed hope that they will comply going forward.
He, however, said that the reason for the engagement was to among others have the affected taxpayers understand how the penalties come about but also waive the penalties.
“This tax was assessed in error. They (taxpayers) had not understood why they were penalized,” admitted Musinguzi.
Musinguzi said that with the waiver and engagement, he expects maximum compliance from the beneficiaries of the waivers.
“We expect a certain standard from you who have been engaged. Whoever has come, your complaint has been duly registered,” he said, adding: “…we can’t continue to sin because grace abounds…Going forward, you will sin no more.”
Traders queried various aspects of the system, like how to rectify errors after issuing receipts, and these were addressed by URA’s tax experts.
They also appreciated the tax body for the waiver.
The exercise continues until Friday this week.
