Lira, Uganda | The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has intensified efforts to fight corruption, warning taxpayers that offering bribes to reduce tax obligations is illegal and undermines public trust in the tax system.
Speaking at the Regional Integrity Forum on Tuesday at Margarita Palace Hotel in Lira City, James Abola, URA Assistant Commissioner General, urged taxpayers to pay their dues or use official avenues such as installment plans and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) for resolving disputes.
Abola stressed the tax body’s disciplinary measures, revealing that 65 URA staff were dismissed last year for bribery, fraud, and corruption.
“…We have a fair but firm system. No taxpayer should be pressured into offering a bribe…,” he said.
Highlighting URA’s move towards digitalization, Abola said reducing face-to-face interactions with staff minimizes opportunities for corruption and ensures greater transparency.
“…Even when interactions occur, they must be ethical and accountable…,” he added.
Abola cited a case where a company’s tax liability dropped from UGX 7 billion to UGX 1.1 billion after ADR revealed accounting errors.
“…The accountant had misclassified a loan as an asset due to a commercial building, which distorted the accounts. The corrected amount was accepted and paid…,” he explained.
Morris Chris Ongom, Director of the Uganda Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Lira branch, urged both public and private sectors to uphold integrity.
“…Integrity is about action, values, and courage. Corruption is a symptom; URA must lead by example…,” he said.
Former Bank of Uganda Deputy Governor, David Okello Opio, questioned the government’s increase of URA’s revenue target to UGX 40 trillion from UGX 31 trillion, describing it as “ambitious” compared to GDP growth of around 6%.
Meanwhile, Tom Otim of Timo Associates criticized URA’s financial system, saying it issues notices and imposes interest even when taxpayers have sufficient funds, a process he described as taxpayer-unfriendly.
The forum underscored URA’s commitment to strengthening transparency, promoting ethical compliance, and educating taxpayers while highlighting the challenges of balancing revenue collection with fairness and efficiency.
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