EFRIS is not a new tax but rather the best tax administration tool, says URA’s Musinguzi

Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi (left) receiving a petition from KACITA chairman Dr. Nagenda and his team about the EFRIS system

This week, traders in downtown Kampala and parts of Masaka kept their shops closed in protest against the implementation of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing System (EFRIS).

While appearing before the Finance committee of Parliament, URA Commissioner General John Musinguzi told MPs that the authority is intensifying sensitization efforts and improving on the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing System to easy tax payment and ensure compliance.

Musinguzi says the Authority took on the digital technology because it is one of the best tax administration tools that not only ensures fairness to all but also it is advantageous to both the business community and the entire economy.

He envisages that over time URA will be able to collect 8 trillion shillings worthy of Value Added Tax, if the EFRIS technology is fully embraced.

Earlier on Tuesday, the business community organized under their umbrella body Kampala City Traders Association petitioned the Leader of opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi demanding for parliament’s urgent intervention in what they referred to as unfair taxation and competition from foreign investors.

The group led by Association Chairperson Dr. Thaddeus Musoke Nagenda says they are being forced out of business by the unfair taxation evident in payment of harsh enforcement of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS) by the Uganda Revenue Authority.

The petition comes a day after the Traders in Kampala staged a peace demonstration when they did not open up their businesses calling on the Uganda Revenue Authority to halt the enforcement of Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS)

On behalf of the business community, Nagenda says that whereas the traders are not opposed to payment of taxes, taxation should be fair to all if the economy is to benefit in the long run.

In response to the petition, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi welcomed the group and assured them of his commitment to continue to highlight the taxation injustices as he invited the Uganda Revenue Authority to engage the stakeholders with a view of addressing the concerns about the Electronic system.

Ssenyonyi said that the Revenue Authority should devise means that make it easy for the taxpayers to comply.

The Nakawa West MP further noted the significance of joint efforts of all Ugandans towards fighting corruption and wastage of public resources to ensure that taxpayers get the expected services from the taxes paid.

He says efficient and effective utilization of public resources would cut down on the huge tax burden on the population and URA would not struggle to meet its revenue collection targets.

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