The Commissioner for Legal Services and Board Affairs at the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Patience Tusiime Rubagumya has emphasized the need for a collective effort from all stakeholders to raise the country’s GDP ratio to a minimum of 15 or 16 percent, enabling Uganda to achieve self-sustainability.
Rubagumya made this statement on Thursday while addressing stakeholders from the Kigezi sub-region during the post-Budget Conference organized by the Uganda Revenue Authority and the Ministry of Finance at Cephas Inn Hotel in Kabale Municipality.
She highlighted that Uganda’s tax-to-GDP ratio has been fluctuating between 11% and 13%, which is one of the lowest in the world and falls below the sub-Saharan Africa average of 16%.
Rubagumya appealed for support and cooperation from stakeholders to meet the target revenue collection of 29.7 trillion shillings for the upcoming financial year of 2023/24.
Rubagumya also reminded stakeholders that the 29.7 trillion-shilling target for the next financial year represents a significant increase of 4.2 trillion shillings compared to the current financial year’s target of 25.5 trillion shillings.
She further pointed out that Uganda currently has 3.3 million taxpayers, which she believes should be increased to 5 million. Rubagumya advised taxpayers to demonstrate patriotism by fulfilling their tax obligations and then demanding accountability through the Office of the Inspector General of Government.
