Chief Justice, Bart Katureebe has called on the newly inaugurated members of the Tax Appeals Tribunal to ensure that they expedite the cases brought before them with precision so as not to put businesses and government in jeorpady.
He made the appeal on Friday while presiding over the inauguration of the five person team that constitutes the Tax Appeals Tribunal. The Tribunal is legally mandated to adjudicate tax related disputes between the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and tax payers.
The tribunal is headed by Dr Assa Mugenyi as Chairperson who was reappointed to serve his fourth term in the Tribunal since 2008. Other members are Mr George Wilson Mugerwa, Mr Silaje Ali, Dr Stephen Akabwai and Mrs Christine Nalubega Katwe.
The five took a judicial oath, administered by the High Court Acting Registrar on Friday at a function held in the High Court Library in Kampala.
In his remarks, Chief Justice Katureebe congratulated the members upon their appointment and urged them to uphold the highest level of integrity in executing their work.
He however cautioned; “When people have a tax dispute, they want a quick decision. That’s why the Tribunal was set up. We don’t expect case backlog because it kills people’s businesses and affects the duty of URA to collect taxes”.
“I was a little taken aback to hear the Chairperson say that the 60 cases you expect to hear this year are overwhelming. This is less compared to the thousands of cases that a single Justice of the High Court deals with,” the Chief Justice told the members.
He added; “You have to pull up your socks and hear these cases, and make quick decisions as the public expects”.
While giving his inaugural speech, Dr Assa Mugenyi, the Tax Appeals Tribunal Chairperson expressed gratitude towards the Supreme Court for placing confidence in the new members to settle tax disputes.
“We shall exercise our duties without fear and with impartiality. We shall endeavor to sit as regularly as possible so we can dispose off as many cases,” he further said.
The Chairperson however hinted on the need for additional funding given the increased logistical needs such as traveling to the upcountry registries in Mbarara, Mbale and Arua. He proposed that the tribunal’s budget be doubled from the current Shs 1 billion.
The Tax Appeals Tribunal is a quasi-judicial institution established under the Tax Appeals Tribunals Act, 1997 to settle tax disputes as required by Article 152 (3) of the Constitution 1995. The first tribunal was first constituted in August 1998 and began functioning in 1999.
