The Public Relations Officer of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Mr Ibrahim Bbosa, has been appointed as Assistant Commissioner, Public and Corporate Affairs at Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
Bbosa replaces Vincent Sseruma who recently bowed out after a long career at the tax collection body. Denis Kugonza Kateeba, who previously worked as head of Accounts at Uganda National Roads Authority, has been appointed the Commissioner Tax Investigations.
According to the URA Memo, Robert Muteebi has been appointed Commissioner Information Technology and Innovation while Allen Nassanga is the Assistant Commissioner Research and Innovation. Sarah Muzungyo was named Commissioner Domestic Taxes.
URA has since registered a number of successes for the last 30 years including earning the government’s trust in its capacity to transparently collect and account for all revenues. The tax body has positioned herself among her regional peers as a facilitator of trade in a harmonized environment.
In July, URA opened its revenue collection account for the financial year 2020/2021 with a surplus of about Shs 278 billion. They attributed the surplus revenue registered in the month of July, which is nearly three times an equivalent of the allocated budget for the ministry of trade, industry and cooperative, to among other things; the rolling out of digital tax stamps (DTS) whose purpose is to deter under-declaration at production and importation levels.
President Museveni recently said URA has not yet performed to its maximum and hence urged them to add more efforts. The president said corruption and inefficiency have prevented URA from performing to its maximum. He tasked URA to ensure the tax to GDP ratio goes up.
“When we had just come from the bush, people were collecting money and putting it in their own pockets. It was in 1991 when we realized there was massive stealing. That’s how we came and said we must create a special department and the idea of URA came. The tax collection jumped to 11% from 4% of GDP. However it has stagnated there all this time,” Museveni said in September as URA marked 30 years of existence.
“Although you are congratulating yourselves, performance doesn’t lie. We can know if the tax people are doing work. The tax to GDP ratio has stagnated around 11%, 12% and 13%. As soon as we created URA we jumped to 11% but we are now stuck there. Where is the other money going? Buildings are increasing and imports. Do you think God is happy with you?” he said.
