Museveni creates new State House unit to supervise URA

President Yoweri Museveni has established a new unit to monitor Uganda Revenue Authority operations and combat corruption
The unit, called the State House Revenue Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit, will oversee URA operations and fight tax administration system corruption
David Kalemera has been appointed as the head of the unit and a senior presidential advisor.

The State House Revenue Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit will assist the government in reducing revenue leakages and increasing tax collection, according to a press release issued by the Presidential Press Unit on July 5.

In part, the statement said, "The Presidential Press Unit (PPU) wishes to inform the general public that His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, president of the Republic of Uganda, has created the State House Revenue Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit to do an oversight on Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) operations and fight corruption within the tax administration system."

The president appointed David Kalemera as the head of the unit and a senior presidential advisor.

Kalemera vowed to crush tax evaders who are reportedly in bed with the tax collectors.

“All parasites will soon be exposed because there are a lot of taxes the country is losing due to fraud manoeuvres and undue influence aided by some corrupt people in the tax administration system,” he said.

In a statement published by the president on X recently, Museveni warned of massive tax evasion under the watch of the tax body.

“There are also some indications that there is massive tax evasion. Uganda’s GDP of $55 billion should be giving us 20% in taxes. This would be US11 billion, or Sh.48 trillion. Our real budget without debt payments is Sh. 56 trillion,” he stated before adding.

“Therefore, the thieves are parasites that must be stamped out, and the indisciplined are saboteurs of our fast development and must also be stopped. This year, our economy grew by 6%. It will grow in double digits if we stamp out thieves and the indisciplined.”

The new unit is seen as part of the president’s renewed fight against corruption in government.

Recently, while addressing the country at the Kololo during the State of the Nation Address, Museveni revealed that he had proof parliamentarians were soliciting kickbacks to inflate the budgets of government bodies.

Following the address, budget committee chair MP Paul Akamba was arrested alongside Bunyole East MP, Hon. Yusuf Mutembuli and Lwengo District Woman MP, Hon. Cissy Namujju, on alleged corruption charges. They have since been charged in court and remanded.

Also, Igara East MP Michael Mawanda, Elgon County MP, Mudimi Wamakuyu and their Busiki County counterpart, Paul Akamba are charged with Leonard Kavundira, the Principal Cooperative Officer in the Ministry of Trade over the diversion of Shs7.3bn.