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KAMPALA - The Government says some people are sponsoring hate propaganda against EFRIS.

Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) director general John Musinguzi Rujoki says he does not know why that is the case because EFRIS is not bringing any extra taxable burden on the taxpayer.

"I have seen some people who are below the threshold (of the VAT payment) saying batumazze wo (government is finishing us)," he says.

"I think let's stop misinforming the public to increase their animosity towards URA. It is already bad enough because people generally don't want to pay taxes; if we add on the blame that makes us appear unreasonable, it will increase the hostility against us. "

He was speaking on Saturday, April 13, 2024, during a radio talk show.

He said they plan to increase sensitisation on mass media, including radio, adding that doing so will help taxpayers appreciate EFRIS.

"EFRIS is a technology, that makes the responsibility of making your returns to URA monthly smooth and enjoyable because you just click a button and don't have to hire an accountant to help you file your returns.

"So, why not embrace such a system? It is not increasing what you are paying," he said.
He explained that with EFRIS URA are just "unblocking the agents in between who have been retaining our money (VAT) and not allowing us to go to the end of the value chain".

What's EFRIS

EFRIS is Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution, which entails the use of electronic fiscal devices (EFDs), e-invoicing, or direct communication with business transaction systems to manage the issuance of e-receipts and e-invoices under the Tax Procedures Code Act 2014.

However, some taxpayers, including traders under their umbrella Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) have protested its implementation citing its complexity.

Since Monday last week, business activities in downtown Kampala, particularly in the Kikuubo hub, have been disrupted as some traders opted to close their shops in protest over various concerns regarding business operations.

The traders emphasized the need for the president’s intervention and a meeting with all relevant stakeholders to address the issues effectively.

“We only look forward to the planned meeting with the president. It seems he is the only one who can solve these issues because we have tried all possible ways, and they have since failed. So we want to meet the president when every responsible MDA is present to present our case as they present their reasons as well,”  Thaddeus Musoke, the chairperson of KACITA, said last week.