KAMPALA – The Uganda business community under the umbrella of Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) has awarded Uganda’s main tax body, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) as the best government agency of the year 2023.
The event that saw URA bagging two awards from KACITA took place on Friday evening at Motiv along PortBell Road in Kampala. This colourful event was graced by several business operators and different government agencies that deal directly with the daily today operations of trade & business in Uganda.
In his speech, the chairperson of KACITA Dr. Thaddeus Musoke Nagenda, said that until recently their relationship with URA tremendously increased because the tax body has reached their sensitisation to the business community. Noting that this has been especially in informing the community; the use of taxes and to pay taxes.
According to Dr. Musoke, for all the government agencies they have worked with this year, URA has been so friendly and educative to them. Adding that even though at times there can remain misunderstandings, URA has a reacher hand for returning back to the roundtable with the way to address such challenges.
“This has helped business people to understand taxation move after unlike the previous years where we would use leakages in dodging taxes ” said Dr. Musoke. He explained that, in solving these challenges that involves paying taxes, a lot has been addressed which has enabled business people to stay doing business without interferences. He noted that, because of these URA has reached to the hearts of business people who are the tax payers hence becoming ‘the best government agency of year 2023’.
He appreciated the good cooperation of KACITA members and applauded them for awarding URA because of it’s nobel role is daily business. Dr. Musoke further appealed to all Ugandans to support people because in doing so, they will support the country’s economy.
In his conclusion, the KACITA chairperson encouraged other government agencies to emulate the work of URA in their tireless efforts of sensitising Ugandans and their role in service delivery. He however reminded all government agencies to enrich their cooperation with Ugandans so as to boost service delivery. Adding that, perhaps in the next coming awards they also award the most none performing agencies. He added by thanking his members for the high turn-up and informed them that next year it will be massive.
Whereas, in his appreciation, Mr. James Musinguzi Rujoki, the Commissioner General of URA who was in attendance said that, it was a surprising double wine for them as a tax body but also for all Businessmen and women of Uganda but more importantly to the taxpayer. He appreciated KACITA leadership led by the chairperson, board members and the executive team for having thought about URA as the best government agency of year. We are humbled, we got a feel we deserved this” the Commissioner General said. He added that this has renewed their commitment to continue their kind of service delivery. This should be good and normal for the relationship between URA as tax collecting body and the taxpayer. “So we thank you KACITA management for acknowledging our service delivery. Thank you for recognising us as an institution but also for recognising the team leader,” said Mr. Musinguzi.
He acknowledged that, as the tax body they have been challenged to do a lot of what they have been doing to cement more of their relationship even better. He pointed out that the reason why they exist as an authority is to collect taxes/revenue for National development.
The commissioner General recalled previous worse relationships of URA and KACITA which were always threats and strikes with no kind words for each other, but recounts the ceremony as a great value and step forward between a taxpayer and the tax collector. The commissioner General, used the same event to further encourage those who are still adamant and none compliant in paying taxes, to rethink being compliant and not to let the Authority to stretch it’s army to make them pay for; many years back, penalties and interests but rather do it voluntarily. “If you do voluntary disclosure, you will pay only principal taxes and relieve yourself from paying the rest of the penalties and interests among others” he warned.
Other awards
Meanwhile, different business operators and other government agencies walk away with different awards Including; the Best Innovator of the Year which was taken by Kiira Motos, BUBU company of taken by Bella Wine Brewers, Vocational Institute of the Year by Malaika Vocational Institute, Electronic Machinery of the year was taken by CHINT Electric mart, Energy drink of the year by Red bull Energy drink, most improved government agency went National water and sewerage cooperation (NWSC), Best Banking institution of the year was taken by Centenary Bank, Best government project of the year went to Agricultural Credit Facility from Bank of Uganda (BOU), whereas the best humanitarian charity agency went to Uganda AIDS Commission and the best Microfinance of the year was Pride Microfinance among many others.
