By Francis Mawanda
The ongoing tax education and awareness drives have reached Kapchorwa town with the key goal of fostering a tax compliant society in the Sebei sub-region.
As the primary administrative, commercial, and municipal hub of Kapchorwa District, Kapchorwa town is home to a variety of businesses, from small furniture shops to furniture showrooms, as well as retail shops, wholesalers and massive supermarkets, thus giving the town a diverse economy.
The word Kapchorwa largely resonated with the athletics victory registered for Uganda. In the last ten years, Kapchorwa, also part of the Sebei sub-region, has produced several highly accomplished runners, including gold medalists from the Olympics and world championships like Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo, and Stephen Kiprotich, among many others.
Commencing the week, the Tax Education and Mbale DT teams pitched camp in Kapchowra town with the joint mission to impart tax knowledge through a diverse array of activities. These encompassed mobile drives, tax Katale, and door-to-door outreaches, all strategically implemented to foster a tax-compliant society within Kapchowra.
Samuel Kanakulya from Tax Education noted that these outreach activities are designed to raise awareness, grow the taxpayer register, expand the tax base, and collect every coin that is collectable.
“Let’s inform the business people about their tax rights and responsibilities. Kapchowra is a rapidly expanding town and we might encounter many who aren’t registered. Most importantly, every coin counts and we all know that we have a target to meet so let’s put our efforts together so we can exceed the financial target for this year,” said Kanakulya.
The importance of self-compliance was stressed by Derrick Emmanuel Walumbe from Tax Education during the mobile drive through Kapchowra Town and the surrounding towns and villages. He also highlighted the various responsibilities of taxpayers, such as obtaining a TIN, paying taxes, and the significance of a TIN.
Fred Chebt, a Kapchowra resident and owner of a local boutique, acknowledged that paying taxes is their duty as citizens and business owners. However, Chebt noted that this is simpler if they are well-educated and aware of their taxpayer responsibilities.
“URA should teach us what to pay, how to pay, and when to pay. Though I am grateful that you are here today and have learned a lot, this should be done on a regular basis,” Chebet added.
The team plans to expand similar outreach to numerous other villages, towns, and districts that are close to Kapchorwa in an effort to create a more compliant and tax-aware generation.
