Kabahweza Allan Kamugisha
The Uganda Revenue Authority has engaged the media on its role in tax policy formulation.
The Ag. Manager Board Affairs and Rulings, Rachael Faith Achom, took members of the Uganda Parliamentary Press Association (UPPA) through the journey that leads to tax laws. She said that URA participates in the formulation of policies, which are discussed by the cabinet before being tabulated in parliament.
“URA gets its mandate to mobilize, assess, and collect taxes from the constitution of Uganda, which stipulates that no taxes shall be collected without an act of parliament,” said Achom.
She requested that journalists publicize Section 40D of the Tax Procedures Code, which provides a waiver of interest and penalty upon voluntary payment of principal tax, so that taxpayers can benefit from the amnesty.
Addressing the association at the URA headquarters in Nakawa on Thursday, Ibrahim Bbossa, the Assistant Commissioner of Public and Corporate Affairs said that there are a lot of tax materials beneficial to taxpayers that get little no attention from the media.
He challenged journalists to always report objectively with the intention of educating and sensitizing the public on their rights and obligations.
“We have a lot of taxation content at URA and on our website, but it gets little attention. We know taxation is not an interesting topic, but I urge you to give it prominence for the benefit of the public,” said Bbossa.
He called upon the media fraternity to collaborate with URA and work closely to disseminate information that can help the tax collector mobilize revenue for national development.
“Recently, we hit the target, but there was no big headline. Achieving the target is an important issue for this country, and it encourages the taxpayer,” he said.
Bbossa explained that about 90% of the taxes are paid voluntarily, and only 10% are collected through reminders and the issuance of agency notices. He noted that when the media supports URA by publicizing the importance of paying taxes, most taxpayers will complain.
“When the public has a good perception of URA, it will greatly improve tax mobilization and collection. That aspect is very key in revenue mobilization—the need for positive stories that encourage revenue collection,” said Bbossa.
He said that URA is employing a sector-based approach to engaging taxpayers because each sector has its own pertinent issues that need special attention.
Bbossa noted that URA is determined to use all available platforms to educate and sensitize the public, and it has put in place avenues through which taxpayers can easily reach URA.
The UPPA President Sam Ibanda Mugabi appreciated URA for the engagement, saying it has enlightened them on the formulation of tax policies. The journalists pledged to support URA in sensitizing the public through news stories.
