By Evelyn Ainembabazi
URA has urged traders in Kamuli and Jinja district to avoid dealing in unstamped goods so that they do not receive fines and penalties associated with non-compliance to digital tax stamps. This message was emphasized during the training on the digital tracking solution that was concluded in Jinja and Kamuli.
In this training, Samuel Emeru, the URA DTS team lead took the manufacturers and traders through the process of acquiring and applying the stamps to the products gazette for digital tax stamps. He also informed the traders and manufacturers that stamps are distributed by SICPA (U).
Emeru also informed the business community that if a trader doesn’t comply with the requirements of trading in gazetted products, they risk being penalised to a tune of UGX 50million.
“It is important to learn what products must have digital tax stamps and ensure that you affix them appropriately before distributing the products to the different sellers,” noted Emeru.
While traders requested for a uniform price for the stamps, Emeru informed them that prices for stamps are determined by several factors which cannot be the same for all the gazetted products. In addition, for traders whose stamps have faded, Emeru asked them to engage SICPA for replacements where possible.
Richard Arepi, the Kamuli DT station head and Mark Oluka who represented the Jinja station both cautioned traders not to accept unstamped goods from manufacturers or distributors to avoid getting into running battles with URA enforcement officers.
The manufacturers both in Kamuli and Jinja left satisfied about the knowledge on digital tax stamps. Many asked for more of such trainings urging that at least three of the same per year would be adequate to help them learn about the concepts of DTS.
As traders asked for translation services in these trainings, URA further emphasized DTS enforcement measures meant to promote compliance.
