The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), tasked with tax collection, successfully recovered 9 billion Ugandan shillings from smuggling seizures across nine districts in Eastern Uganda. This revelation was made on February 1, 2024, by Paul Karatunga, the Regional Enforcement Supervisor of Eastern Uganda, during a customs tax Baraza held at the Busia One-stop border point. The event aimed to raise awareness among traders about the detrimental impact of smuggling on Uganda’s economic progress.
Karatunga emphasized that smuggling remains a prevalent issue, particularly in border districts, posing a significant threat to the country’s economic development. Between July and December 2023, URA seized various smuggled goods, including 510 metric tonnes of Pakistan rice, 130 metric tonnes of second-hand clothes, 181 metric tonnes of wheat flour, and 1,123 tonnes of cement, totaling 5,226 seizures.
The smuggling of sugar has seen an increase, with URA confiscating 5 tonnes in the last three months. Notable areas leading in seizures include Malaba in Tororo district, where 1.8 billion shillings were recovered, followed by Busia with 1.6 billion shillings. Other districts with high recovery rates include Mbale, Jinja, and Busitema.
Karatunga highlighted that smuggled goods are often transported in small quantities using bicycles and later delivered to consolidating centers. Additionally, smuggling occurs in gazetted places through misdeclaration of goods, falsification of documents, and diversion of transit goods.
To combat this issue, URA is actively engaged in sensitizing traders, especially in border districts, to dissuade them from participating in smuggling activities. Angela Nafula Odong, the chairperson of Busia Women Cross Border Traders Cooperative, raised concerns about the multiple taxes at customs in Uganda, suggesting that URA collaborate with other government entities to reduce or eliminate some taxes.
Patrick Kenyatta Wanjala, the chairperson of the Busia business community, urged URA to identify well-known smugglers in the region and utilize them to educate those involved in illegal business. He also called on URA officials to address corruption within their ranks, emphasizing the need to curb enforcement officers accepting bribes from smugglers.
Richard Onyango, a businessman in Busia district, highlighted that customs clearance delays discourage traders, urging URA to implement time-saving initiatives to encourage the use of customs facilities. Meanwhile, Michael Kibwika, the Busia District Resident Commissioner (RDC), announced that the Busia security committee has compiled a profile of both small and large-scale smugglers in the district, which will be presented to relevant authorities for necessary actions.
