Gov’t Urged to Collaborate with Citizens for Better Tax Compliance

Summary:

• Onapito Ekomoloit, Legal and Corporate Affairs Director at Nile Breweries Limited, urged the Ugandan government to work with citizens to promote tax compliance, highlighting the need for visible benefits from tax payments.

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KAMPALA,(Examiner) – Nile Breweries Limited’s Legal and Corporate Affairs Director, Onapito Ekomoloit, has called on the Ugandan government to collaborate more effectively with its citizens to encourage tax compliance.

Ekomoloit made this appeal while discussing the national budget, which has increased from Shs 52 trillion to Shs 72.12 trillion.

“To convince people that paying taxes benefits them, the government needs to demonstrate tangible results,” Ekomoloit said during a May 17, 2024, interview on a local news channel. He emphasized the need for the government to educate Ugandans about the importance of taxes.

“Many Ugandans attempt to evade taxes, unlike those of us on a salary system who have been paying for over a decade. Citizens need to see the impact of their tax contributions,” he added.

During the same discussion, business journalist and news anchor Mark Arnold Wadulo advised the government to explore innovative taxation methods. He highlighted the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS) as a beneficial initiative for ensuring tax compliance.

“EFRIS is a good initiative, but it was not well communicated by the government. Such progressive measures can simplify tax compliance,” Wadulo noted.

On May 16, 2024, Members of Parliament rejected a government proposal to impose a Shs 300 levy on kerosene, along with new taxes on other commodities like mineral water. The MPs argued that Ugandans are already overburdened by taxes.