Electronic revenue management system yet to start in Mukono

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The pilot program of the new electronic revenue management system is yet to start in Mukono district.

In 2017, the Ministry of Local Government rolled out the automated revenue management system aimed at increasing revenue collections. The online tool is used for local taxpayers’ registration, payment assessments, e-payment, reconciliation, enforcement, reporting and integration with other government agencies.

Before the lockdown was declared, authorities in Mukono municipality had procured computers for the two divisions of Ggoma and Mukono central and installed them with e-system.

However, George Masengere the officer in charge of communication at Mukono says that sensitization of the business community about the use of the system has been halted following the outbreak of Covid-19

He notes that it will be easy for traders to meet their obligations at their comfort of  their workplaces. He believes this will also increase the local revenue that the municipality collects.

The municipality has been planning to collect about shillings 2 billion from local revenue however Masengere says in the previous two financial years, they have only achieved about 60 percent but with the new system, they are targeting an increase of 30 percent.

One of the traders at Mukono central division Damien Naziderio says the system would be paramount especially during this period where physical distancing is emphasized.

Charlotte Kobusingye who owns a boutique advises the municipal officials to start sharing knowledge about the system with whoever visits their offices and the rest shall adopt to the system gradually.

“It is not the first time we are hearing about this system, we had fear on how it shall be working and to some other people lacking knowledge of paying money using the e-system but now the current situation of COVID-19 is pushing the trend to digitization,” Kobusingye says.

The municipal mayor George Fred Kagimu explains that for the system to be effective, sensitization is required.

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