Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is set to embark on a sensitization drive in West Nile to educate citizens on tax compliance and the dangers of smuggling which are rampant in the North Western part of the country.
This was revealed during a joint press conference between URA and Members of Parliament of the Finance and Economic Planning Committee on Sunday upon completion of a tour of the URA customs border stations.
The URA Customs Commissioner, Dicksons Kateshumbwa announced that the tax body would conduct a 3-month sensitization programme in West Nile.
The MPs have been on a tour of border stations. Busia and Malaba One Stop Border Posts(OSBPs) were visited in the East while Afoji , Elegu, Lia and Vurra border points were traversed in the North on a fact finding mission.
While smuggling has considerably gone down in Uganda, there are still many cases of smuggling in the West Nile, mainly attributed to the porous nature of the border in some places most notably the stretch between Vurra and Lia border post between Uganda and DR Congo/South Sudan.
“Motorcycles, sugar, rice and kitenge are the most smuggled items in this region,” noted Dicksons Kateshumbwa.
“Through working more closely with the local leadership here, we shall be able to achieve complete behavioural change on the part of the community against smuggling,” he added.
Rubanda East MP, Henry Musasizi, the Committee Chairman observed that there is need to have the population in the region sensitized about the danger of smuggling to the Ugandan economy.
On his part, the MP for Koboko North, Asiku Elias urged communities and the leadership of Westnile to work with URA and embrace a culture of paying taxes. He encouraged the public to shun smuggling because it dents the image of West Nile region.
The visit by Members of Parliament comes a week after violent protests broke out in Yumbe district in West Nile against anti-smuggling operations by URA.
Two motor vehicles and a motorcycle were torched by an angry mob late last month during a violent riot staged by people believed to be boda boda cyclists.
The protests were a retaliation by some of the affected persons in a URA crackdown on the non tax payers who smuggle rice and motorcycles from neighbouring countries.
On Sunday, Kilak North MP, Anthony Akol who doubles as the Shadow Minister of Finance Planning and Economic Development paid tribute to the year on year growth of revenue collection. He appealed to his constituents to comply with taxes to further reduce Uganda’s reliance on debts.
“For the people of West Nile, I want to request that for every penny that we get from abroad, it is our grandchildren that will have to pay. Let us pay our taxes, desist from smuggling and fund our own budget,” Akol said.
In regard to the operational challenges faced by URA staff at the various border stations including inadequate accomodation, under staffing and poor infrastructure in some places, MP Musasizi affirmed the committment of Parliament to help work with URA to resolve these challenges faster.
