President Museveni has initiated a significant overhaul within the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) by establishing the State House Revenue Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit. This new unit aims to provide oversight on URA operations and combat corruption within the tax administration system, as announced by State House on Friday.
Mr. David Kalemera has been appointed as the Senior Presidential Advisor and Head of the newly formed unit. State House emphasized that the creation of this unit is a strategic move to close revenue leakages and enhance tax collection.
Kalemera expressed his commitment to the unit’s mission, stating, “All parasites will soon be exposed because there is a lot of taxes the country is losing due to fraud maneuvers and undue influence aided by some corrupt people in the tax administration system.”
This development follows President Museveni’s recent warnings about tax leakages and massive tax evasion. In a statement posted on the X platform on June 24, 2024, Museveni highlighted the significant gap between Uganda’s GDP of US $55 billion and the actual tax revenue, stressing the need to eliminate corruption and indiscipline to achieve higher economic growth.
However, Kalemera’s appointment has raised concerns due to his past legal issues. Kalemera was previously implicated in a high-profile case involving the use of falsified customs documents and conspiracy to commit a felony. He and two others were accused of knowingly using falsified commercial invoices and packing lists to clear goods through the URA system, leading to significant revenue losses.
Despite these past allegations, the government is moving forward with Kalemera’s leadership in hopes of addressing the ongoing issues within the URA. The State House maintains that the new unit will play a crucial role in boosting Uganda’s tax collection efforts and ensuring greater accountability within the tax administration.
The URA and the newly established unit face the critical task of restoring public trust and enhancing the efficiency of Uganda’s tax system. The effectiveness of this initiative remains to be seen as Kalemera takes on his new role amidst a backdrop of controversy.
