Uganda Revenue Authority launches the “Tujenge Uganda” bus as well as the URA@30 celebrations. URA was birthed on 15th of September 1991 which same date will translate into 30 years of the Taxman’s existence this year. The celebrations will be spread across different months for the rest of the year.
The Tujenge Uganda is a tax education means, whose specifics were knitted by the PCA team, was christened by Philbert Aijuka, a Domestic Taxes officer and designed by Skenya Motors (U) LTD who are franchise holders of SCANIA trucks and buses. The bus is only the second in Africa and a wonder that will reach taxpayers in the remotest and furthest areas of Uganda where URA is not stationed.
The mobile speeder is fitted with 5 work stations for tellers, a mini boardroom where officers can sit and strategize for the day, a water-proof display screen, speakers, kitchenette with a deep freezer and microwave, 4 bunkers where officers can rest, and lavatories.
The bus is energy sufficient with ability to operate with multiple sources of power; electricity, solar with inverters in case of a rainy season and a generator. There are also MTN and Airtel routers to enable continuation of work.
CG said that Tujenge Uganda is a dream come true that will fill a big gap and give URA mileage. He said the bus shows that URA has a clear focus of set goals and now has the potential to exceed the goal to expand the tax register.
“This will help us fill a big gap of having very few tax people to administer a huge assignment of tax collection. Our taxman ratio is the highest in the region or even in the continent. It’s about one officer to 12,000 taxpayers. With this bus, we can have a mobile office dedicated to every region,” he said.
Anthony Mwanje, the coordinator of Private Sector Development and Secretariat for the development land programme, representing the Ministry of Finance and European Union, said that the bus is a means to an end that will achieve an increased taxpayer register, compliance and tax collection.
“From this intervention, we expect the tax register to grow and an increase in compliance because of what this bus is going to do. We are looking at more public awareness about the different taxes that URA collects and communities receiving a lot more from URA,” Mwanje said
