President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has established the State House Revenue Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit to oversee the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) operations and tackle corruption within the tax administration system. The Presidential Press Unit announced this development, highlighting the president’s commitment to enhancing transparency and efficiency in tax collection.
David Kalemera has been appointed as the Senior Presidential Advisor and Head of the new unit.
This strategic appointment underscores the government’s dedication to addressing revenue leakages and boosting tax collection.
Currently, the URA collects 20 trillion shillings annually, while Uganda’s national budget stands at 46 trillion shillings.
URA is headed by John Musinguzi Rujoki.
President Museveni has consistently argued that eliminating corruption within the URA could significantly increase tax revenues, potentially funding a larger portion of the national budget.
In his public speeches, President Museveni has frequently accused the URA of harboring corrupt individuals, referring to them as “grasshoppers.”
These long-standing accusations have led to the resignation of several top URA officials over corruption allegations. However, no arrests have been made, raising concerns about the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures within the agency.
The creation of the State House Revenue Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit is a proactive step towards addressing these concerns.
The unit aims to enforce anti-corruption measures robustly, ensuring that those guilty of corrupt activities are held accountable. This move is expected to build public trust in the government’s efforts to combat corruption and improve the efficiency of tax administration.
For the new unit to succeed, it must operate independently and demonstrate transparency and accountability in its actions. The effectiveness of this initiative will be closely watched as Uganda strives to enhance its revenue collection and fund essential public services and development projects.