Greetings Commissioner General,
I trust this letter finds you well.
I write to draw your attention to a matter of grave concern that is steadily undermining the confidence of Uganda’s business community.
Our entrepreneurs, investors, and citizens once hailed the stability ushered in by the NRM government’s reforms. Those reforms created a predictable environment for commerce, laying the foundation for growth. Yet today, that stability is under siege.
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has become infamous for issuing third-party agency notices to banks that, by credible accounts, are ninety percent erroneous. These notices are dispatched without verifying the taxpayer’s actual position, leaving businesses scrambling to respond to baseless demands. The irony is glaring as URA’s own disclaimer on taxpayer statements insists that “tax under dispute and instalment does not form part of the net position.” Yet when issuing these notices, disputed taxes and withheld amounts are not adjusted to reflect the actual payable position.
Such contradictions fuel suspicion. Are third-party agency notices being used to selectively target certain businesses? When official communication is riddled with errors, predictability collapses, and confidence in fairness evaporates.
Commissioner General, erroneous notices are not clerical slips. They are destabilizing acts coming as a hidden tax on the economy. Investor confidence is shaken, operations are disrupted, and the entrepreneurial spirit is stifled. Predictability is the lifeblood of investment, and when it is replaced by arbitrary anxiety, growth falters.
Instead of driving enterprise, businessmen and investors waste precious time and resources responding to phantom claims. This is killing the very engine of Uganda’s enterprise sector.
Unchecked errors in official communication erode trust in institutions, sabotage national economic goals, and foster the perception of harassment rather than support.
Uganda’s entrepreneurs deserve clarity, not confusion; support, not sabotage. The government has laid a foundation for growth, but unless the URA curbs its errant practices, that foundation will crack under the weight of unnecessary anxiety.
I therefore appeal to you, Commissioner General, to act decisively to protect the integrity of Uganda’s economic future.
Respectfully,
Bwayo Geoffrey, Accountant
Tel: 0769277476
