The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is intensifying efforts to rebuild trust and improve taxpayer compliance in West Nile by engaging with local leaders. Recently, URA officials met with His Highness Ephraim Waringu Kebbi, the leader of Kebu Rigangi Institution, at his palace in Zombo district. The meeting focused on strategies to enhance tax compliance and combat smuggling in the region.
Waringu praised URA’s approach of engaging with taxpayers in a friendly manner. He noted that people are more responsive when they receive accurate information and are approached with respect. “What you have begun is a very good journey. People will easily respond when you use friendly approaches and give them the right information about your mandate; this will gradually change their mindsets,” he said.
However, Waringu expressed concerns about poor service delivery in the area, which he believes contributes to non-compliance and negative attitudes toward paying taxes. “People are also emotional because of the poor service delivery, and this affects compliance with the law. Our roads are bad and corruption is visible in institutions. All these factors impact the amount of revenue collected,” he stated.
Waringu suggested that URA should enhance its communication, integrity, and informer network to effectively address economic sabotage, especially on transit routes. He emphasized the need for improved service delivery to foster better taxpayer cooperation.
The In-charge of Enforcement in Arua requested support from local leaders to bolster URA’s compliance efforts, particularly in motorcycle registration. “We pray that you can help us spread the message. People need to know that social services benefit from the payment of taxes, even though their wishes may not come timely. We have talked to people, but others are just stubborn, and we will arrest them when the grace period expires,” explained the customs official.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleku John Smith of the Kebu Rigangi Institution expressed appreciation for URA’s efforts and pledged to support the tax body in promoting compliance. “We are humbled for this courtesy; indeed, we have learned a lot and will partner in enlightening our people,” said Oleku. He also reminisced about the ease of paying graduated tax in the past and questioned why current generations should not do the same.
Additionally, Oleku advised URA to establish an office in Alangi village, citing its development as a business area with many porous borders and its distance from the existing URA office in Padea.
