Uganda Revenue Authority
- For the Kampala soccer team please see Uganda Revenue Authority SC.
| URA | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1991 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Uganda |
| Headquarters | Nakawa, Kampala, Uganda |
| Agency executives |
Chairman, Gerald Ssendawula[1] Commissioner General, Doris Akol |
| Parent agency | Uganda Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning |
| Website |
www |
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), is a government revenue collection agency established by the Parliament of Uganda. The URA is responsible for the assessment, collecting and accounting for various forms of tax revenue, in Uganda. It is also responsible for the enforcement of the Central government's taxation laws in the country.[2]
Location
The headquarters of Uganda Revenue Authority are located in the URA Building Complex, located at M193-M194 Nakawa Industrial Area, in Nakawa Division, in the eastern part of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.[3] Other administrative offices are located in Crested Towers, Tall Tower, opposite Kampala Serena Hotel, in House of Hope in Kamwookya and in a building along Rotary Avenue, Lugogo, all in Kampala. The Agency also maintains operational field offices in most large Ugandan towns and all Ugandan border crossings. URA also maintains a branch at Entebbe International Airport.
History
URA was established in 1991 by parliamentary statute. At the time of its creation, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, the current Minister of Defence, was serving as the Minister of Finance and he played a significant role in its establishment. The current Commissioner General of URA, Allen Kagina had been with the Agency since 1992, when she joined as a Senior Principal Revenue Officer. She was appointed to head the Agency in 2004 and has been at the helm since.[4]
Administration
The Uganda Revenue Authority is divided into the following administrative departments: (a) The Commissioner General's Office (b) The Legal & Board Affairs Department (c) The Customs and Excise Department (d) The Domestic Taxes Department (e) The Corporate Services Department (f) The Internal Audit & Compliance Department and (g) The Tax Investigations Department.
Recent developments
In the Auditor General's report for the calendar year 2013, presented to parliament in April 2014, revealed unexplained expenditure of approximately US$5.2 million (UGX:12.9 billion). The has raised the specter of corruption at the URA, hitherto known to be one of the least corrupt government departments, since Allen Kagina became Commissioner General in 2004. Uganda's Minister of Information, Rose Namayanja is quoted as saying: “Under the leadership of Ms. Allen Kagina, we have successfully cleaned URA and tax collections on a year-to-year basis have gone up,”...“The situation is not as bad as it used to be.” According to the Daily Monitor, this view is shared by the President.[5]
On Monday, 27 October 2014, Uganda's Finance Minister, Maria Kiwanuka, appointed lawyer Doris Akol, as the new Commissioner General of for he next five years.[6] She replaced Allen Kagina, who retired after two consecutive five-year terms at the helm of URA.[7]
See also
References
- ↑ Lumu, David (2014). "Kagina’s Job: URA Board Speaks Out". New Vision Mobile (Kampala). Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ↑ "About Uganda Revenue Authority". Uganda Revenue Authority. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ↑ "Location of URA Headquarters at Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ↑ "Global Leadership Summit 2014: Allen Catherine Kagina, Commissioner General, Uganda Revenue Authority". Willowcreek.com. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ↑ Mugerwa, Yasiin (10 April 2014). "Attorney General Unearths Graft At URA". Retrieved 10 April 2014.
- ↑ Monitor, Reporter (27 October 2014). "Doris Akol Appointed Kagina's Replacement At URA". Daily Monitor (Kampala). Retrieved 7 February 2015.
- ↑ Yasiin Mugerwa, and Ismail Musa Ladu (24 July 2014). "URA Boss Kagina Leaves Office This October". Daily Monitor (Kampala). Retrieved 7 February 2015.