Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) at the start of last week raided and camped at the office of NBS Television. It remains unclear as to why URA decided to descend on the television’s premises.
However, sources privy to this raid say URA is demanding for specific information related to the station’s tax declarations.
After days filled with social media speculation about the issue, NBS has this morning issued a statement explaining the circumstances of the tax body’s raid on their offices insisting they are a “law abiding company and adhere to all regulations”
In the same statement, NBS said they had not yet been informed about the details of URA findings.
When reached for a comment on the impasse, URA’s Manager-Public and Corporate Affairs, Ian Rumanyika said “One of our key performance indicators (KPIs) is to carry out compliance audits and that is how we collect data; we either find you complaint or not. It is part of our daily work”
Confirming their compliance to URA’s request, NBS in their statement said they are a responsible entity that operates with integrity. “NBS core values, as a company is “Integrity” and “Excellency”. NBS is willing and ready to cooperate with all government regulations and to do so lawfully” read part of their statement.
URA’s spokesman when pressed for further details on the issue cited confidentiality clauses that bar the tax body from revealing information about their tax payers. “It is unprofessional for me to discuss details of our clients/tax payers with the media, it is against the confidentiality clause” Rumanyika said.
NBS television who had been trying to cover up the scandal has since threatened to sue media houses that reported about the raid. “NBS is evaluating the likelihood of criminality in the slanderous articles and will take action at the appropriate time” The NBS statement said.
