The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Nile Breweries Ltd have been hailed as excellent taxpayers and named the Excel Award winners as Uganda Revenue Authority celebrated their Silver Jubilee on Saturday.
The Jinja-based brewers have contributed over sh1.8 trillion to government revenue from1998 to June 2016.
URA commended Nile Breweries for their organized record keeping, prompt filing and their growing tax contribution at the 12th Tax Payers Appreciation Dinner that marked the climax of celebrations of the revenue authority’s 25th year. (Read ‘URA can lead Uganda to Middle Income’)
At the dinner at their Nakawa headquarters, URA recognised the taxpayers who most boosted the government coffers in the past 25 years and those who have shown improvement in voluntary tax compliance. URA placed the tax payers in three categories -the Commissioner General, the Vantage and Excel awards.
Nile Breweries and Tororo Cement were singled out for contributing in excess of sh237 billion in taxes in 2015/16, and over sh1.9 trillion to government revenue 1998 to June 2016. Century Bottling was also recognised for their contribution of over one trillion shillings worth of taxes.
Strategic partners were also appreciated and the best strategic partnership awards in the past 25 years went to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Uganda Bankers Association (UBA). Janat Nakayima of Kigo Estates and Jinja businessman Patel Babubhai were recognised as the star individual tax payers while TASO and Plan International were the institutions that showed greatest improvement in voluntary tax compliance.
Museveni, represented at the occasion by Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, congratulated the award winners saying ” I commend all Ugandans and especially the individual and corporate entities and taxpayers that have contributed to this revenue growth. I would like to, also, salute those businesses that are being rewarded today for their contribution over the last 25 years.”
The president challenged the URA to continue developing sound policies and systems that will support economic transformation by supporting investment and industrialization especially by ensuring investor confidence in their processes and systems and providing certainty to them.
URA to build on the initiatives and achievements of the e-tax system, the Taxpayer Registration Enhancement Project (TREP) in partnership with KCCA, URSB and the Local Governments, the Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS), Single Customs Territory (SCT) to further facilitate trade and ease of doing business.
Award winners
Excel Award: Recognized taxpayers with significant revenue contribution to the government coffers over the past 25 years
Nile Breweries
The Winner of the Excel Award is Nile Breweries who specializes in the manufacture of beer but has since added purified drinking water to its brand. They have another manufacturing plant located in Mbarara and their production capacity is 2.4 hecto-liters and contributed to economic growth through support to the local communities that supply sorghum and barley. They employ 805 permanent staff and numerous casual workers.
In the just concluded financial year 2015/2016, they contributed in excess of sh237bn in taxes and have over the last 3 years r egistered growth of 12.5%. Cumulatively, Nile Breweries Ltd has contributed in excess of sh1.9 trillion to government revenue from 1998 to June 2016.
Tororo Cement Ltd
Recognized for a total revenue contribution of more than sh1.15 trillion over 18years. Tororo Cement Limited is the largest Cement manufacturing company in Uganda that also produces quality galvanized iron sheets, barbed wire, nails and other steel products. Tororo Cement employs about 255 permanent staff and numerous casual workers.
Century Bottling Company
Recognized for a total revenue contribution of more than sh 1 trillion over 18 years. Century Bottling Company Limited (CBC) is a soft beverage bottler for the Coca Cola since 1995. It is one of the large taxpayers currently with two plants in Uganda located in Mbarara and Namanve. Century Bottling Company employs about 1,086 staff.
Commissioner General’s Award: Recognised URA’s best strategic partnerships
Uganda Banker Association (UBA)
Over the last 25 years, banks have been key strategic partners in the collection and accounting of revenue. Uganda Bankers Association was formed in 1981 to enable banks to come together and share experiences concerning the industry.
Currently, URA is partnering with 26 commercial banks and a development bank in the revenue collection drive. URA has been able to concentrate on their core business of tax administration while UBA members handle the cash management.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
JICA has over the years provided support to Uganda Revenue Authority in form of project management and capacity development. Key areas that have benefitted from capacity development are risk management for the National Targeting Center, creation of a pool of trainers across the EAC region in harmonization of systems, intelligence systems and valuations as well as benchmarking visits to Japan to learn about customs valuation.
In the area of joint border surveillance, JICA has provided patrol vehicles, marine boats and equipment for night vision. This support has greatly helped in combating illegal goods trade across the EAC.
A number of Domestic Taxes staff have undergone training in Japan on an annual basis at the National Tax College.
Vantage Award Individual: Recognised taxpayers who showed improvement in voluntary tax compliance in last 25 years
Patel Babubhai
Patel is a distinguished business man based in Jinja. His investments are primarily in areas of wholesale and retailing of Construction materials products, mining and quarrying. He employs about 17 staff and during his years of carrying out business, has contributed about sh14.6 billion of revenue to the national basket.
Janat Nakayima
She had revenue contribution of more than sh 8.5 billion over 8years. Nakayima is an accomplished business lady with interests in Real Estate and a number of companies namely Kigo Estates Ltd and Ziranumbu estates. Janat is very compliant always filing and paying all dues within the stipulated time frames.
Vantage Award Non-Individual – Recognised those who have shown improvement in voluntary tax compliance and related obligations. Taxation’s rising stars of past 25 years
Inspectorate of Government is winner of the Vantage Award (Non-Individual)
The Inspectorate of Government is an independent institution charged with the responsibility of eliminating corruption, abuse of authority and of public office. The Inspectorate of Government employs up to 390 employees who contributed approximately 39.5 billion shillings over a period of 15 years.
The Inspectorate of Government were commended for assisting URA in building capacity to fight corruption through workshops and other engagements.
AIDS support organisation (TASO)
Had a total revenue contribution of more than 30.5 Billion in 18 years. The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) is an indigenous HIV/AIDS service organization founded in Uganda in 1987. It was founded by people unified by common experiences of HIV/AIDS stigma, ignorance and discrimination. TASO is a consistent filer of PAYE returns.
Plan International
Awarded for their total revenue contribution of more than sh31.2 Billion over 18 years. Plan international is a Humanitarian organization that started work in Uganda in 1992. Their focus areas are primary education, water and sanitation and child protection. Plan International employs 219 employees.
