Lawyer and rights activist Nicholas Opiyo has abandoned a gift of a personalised English football side jersey after he said it got over taxed by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

According to him, the Manchester United jersey is worth sh330,000 (£70), but with a tax of sh400,000, he has now abandoned it, accusing the tax authority of exploitation.

“Manchester United jersey for the 2023/2024 season. He sent it via DHL. @URAuganda is asking me to pay 400,000 UGX in tax for a shirt worth £70. I’ve told them to give the shirt to the commissioner general of URA to wear. The prawl-taxing tactics of the authority have to be pointed out. I will not be exploited like that. No,” Opiyo ranted on X.

He later added that the authority contacted him via DM with an explanation, stating that the documented value of the jersey was sh626,000 (£133) and so it was being taxed fairly.

“So in their view, the tax assessment is accurate. Let’s say the value of the shirt is as they claim, accurate. Would it still attract a tax that high? These folks are destroying the economy in the name of collecting taxes. I have hundreds of people in my inbox raising the same complaint and thanking me for sticking my neck out of this issue. It seems the problem is pervasive. I hope they listen to the taxpayer,” added Opiyo.

Ibrahim Bbossa, the in charge of public and corporate affairs at URA, maintained that the value of the short was £133 (sh626,000) going by the tax calculation.

“Good day @nickopiyo, it has been brought to our attention that the shirt you ordered is still being held at DHL Kla. The original invoice accompanying the shirt indicates a value of GBP 133. Taxes were calculated based on this invoice & can confirm the tax calculation is accurate," he replied.

Opiyo claimed that in his DM, he received praise from a section of Ugandans that have been victims, but without a voice.