By Agency/PPU
President Yoweri Museveni has maintained the use of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solutions (EFRIS), for Value Added Tax collections.
He, however, advised the Uganda Revenue Authority to suspend fines and penalties for non-compliant traders and instead encouraged dialogue between taxpayers and tax collectors.
This was the outcome of the long-awaited meeting between the President, and the business community, which was intended to solve concerns on the system which was rolled out by URA recently leading to the suspension of operations by the business community in Kampala.
In his address to the traders at Kololo Independence Grounds, the president observed that EFRIS was not the problem and instructed the tax body to meet leaders of the business community to solve inconsistencies that come with automation.
Museveni advised URA not to force traders to use the EFRIS machine but rather be flexible and let the traders use cheaper options like mobile phone technology for the same reporting.
This flexibility according to the president, should also extend to the payment period, to allow payments at the end of the financial year.
Museveni told the traders that the government’s taxation policy on importation is deliberate, to discourage imports and encourage local production.
