The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has overhauled the tax ledger register for all taxpayers in order to improve transparency and promote compliance in tax collection.
URA Commissioner General John Rujoki Musinguzi introduced this unique concept during the opening of the Voluntary Disclosure program, which focuses on foreign accounting information and offshore assets under the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) at Kampala Serena Hotel.
According to Musinguzi, the new system allows taxpayers to easily track their tax payment records and pending tax liabilities.
It also speeds up the process of making timely declarations, filing returns, and calculating Value Added Tax (VAT) without requiring physical interaction with URA workers.
Currently, URA staff members are conducting training sessions for various taxpayer groups to ensure they can effectively navigate the system and fulfill their fair share of tax obligations.
Tax agents, the Medium Taxpayer Office, the Large Taxpayer Office, and the Oil & Gas Office are among those who have previously received training.
Musinguzi emphasized that, in addition to improving openness in revenue collection, the new approach intends to resolve continuing disputes between taxpayers and tax authorities over ambiguous tax amounts to be paid.
“The new system transparently and clearly displays the tax register to all of our taxpayers on a regular basis.” It categorizes tax obligations by tax head, allowing anyone to simply establish their tax liabilities, including any outstanding amounts, without having assistance to comprehend it,” Musinguzi noted, emphasizing the system’s usefulness.
Musinguzi expressed confidence that this reform would considerably improve the country’s tax collection performance, as indicated by the growing number of taxpayers who had registered.
“Like any new system, there may be some initial errors, but we assure you that we are committed to improving our relationship with taxpayers, especially large taxpayers, credible tax agents, and High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI),” Musinguzi told Ugandans in a statement.
