Uganda Revenue Authority’s Commissioner general, John Musinguzi Rujoki applauded the business community for their significant revenue contribution towards the economic growth of the country’s economy.
He made the remarks during yesterday’s engagement between URA and Kampala city trader’s association (KACITA) to address the most of the challenges affecting the traders amongst them being Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution(EFRIS).
EFRIS entails the use of Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFDs), e-Invoicing, or direct communication with business transaction systems to manage the issuance of e-receipts and e-invoices in accordance with the Tax Procedures Code Act 2014.
During the engagement, the business community expressed concerns over the newly introduced EFRIS system with many disclosing to be blind on how how it operates, hence calling for amicable solution for the problem so that their businesses could continue smoothly.
Addressing media at the event, when asked whether the EFRIS system is new to the business community, the commissioner general Mr. Rujoki said it has been in operation for two years.
“We cannot stop it because of the hardships surrounding it. We have recorded all the queries from the trader’s association and we are going to go back on the drawing board because these are some of the main reasons for such engagements.” Said the commissioner
In his remarks as far as EFRIS is concerned, the acting chairperson for Kampala City Trader’s Association, Mr. Thadeus Musoke Nagenda thanked the commissioner for his pledge to carry out mass sensitization by his officials from the authority, so that traders can easily understand how the system operates.
“the truth is that even i myself, i don’t understand the EFRIS system, which implies that sensitization to create awareness is still the biggest problem.” He said
He however, urged the Uganda Revenue Authority, not to rush the use of EFRIS on the people, but it should rather be a gradual process so that both parties can benefit.
He also revealed that as KACITA, they will be eagerly awaiting for a meeting with H.E the president Yoweri Museveni which the commissioner general Mr. Rujoki promised to initiate in April to tackle most of the key issues straining the business community at large.
“I think there other things that the commissioner general cannot decide,we therefore decided that let the president meet us the entire business community so that he can truely understand the challenges they go through and how different businesses have totally collapsed.” Said the chairperson of KACITA
He additionally said, the much anticipated meeting with the president, could amicably give answers to most of the queries being raised by their business people.
“the good thing with URA’s commissioner general Rujoki, is that he endeavours to actively involve in most of these engagements with the decrying traders.” Nagenda
Meanwhile, John Kabanda who is the chairperson of the business community in “Kikuubo” Kampala city, said most of his people are having alot of tax related challenges including stiff competition from the Chinese business people who are taking away their jobs.
“Chinese business community has shadowed all our small businesses. Mr. Commissioner please i beg that we work together to overcome this challenge because you cannot compete with someone who has capital.” Said Mr. Kabanda
