Low funding affects taxpayer expansion project in Kigezi

Kigezi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Low funding is hampering the progress of Taxpayer Register Expansion Project (TREP) in Kigezi sub-region.

TREP was unveiled in the financial year 2013/2014 by the Ministry of Finance, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Local GovernGovernments to purposely identify taxpayers and collect taxes from small businesses which were nor reached by URA. 

The alliance was aimed at easing business registration for traders and increasing compliance by bringing more taxpayers to the tax net. The project involves a combination of mobile offices and door-to-door visits by taxation officers.

However, the project has failed to attract yields due to lack of funding. Our reporter has learnt that there are only six officers working in six districts in Kigezi sub-region out of the required three to work in every sub-county or division.

Ronnie Byamugisha, the Uganda Revenue Authority Tax Compliance Officer in charge of Kabale Station confirms that the program has suffered a setback as a result of poor funding. According to Byamugisha, TREP officers are only privately hired on short term contracts to work on behalf of URA while identifying taxpayers and collecting taxes. 

Byamuhisha, however, says that the project has failed to attract officers to work due to limited payments resulting from poor funding.

Byamugisha adds that they so far have only six TREP officers working in Kabale and Kisoro Municipalities out of a requirement of at least three officers to work in each of the divisions or sub-counties, across the sub-region. 

He, however, says that URA has already informed the Finance Ministry about the shortage in funding and its impact on the program. 

Elias Niwagaba, a trader from Kihembe Trading Centre in Kanyantorogo Sub County, Kanungu district says that he knows nothing about the project, adding that this could be the reason for the poor response from small business holders.

Robert Kakuru Byamugisha, the Executive Director of Kick Corruption Out of Uganda (KICK-Up) says that it is very unfortunate to see such a very important project limping due to low funding. 

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URN