Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) collected a total of Shs280m in taxes in one month since the reopening of Rwanda’s border with Uganda at Katuna/Gatuna at the end of January.
On January 31, the Rwandan government partially opened the Gatuna border for cargo trucks and their drivers and for essential travellers.
According to the URA manager for south western region, Mr Peter Gikwiyakare, the taxes were collected from trucks.
“Before the border was closed in 2019, the customs office at Katuna collected about Shs400m every month but when the border was reopened on January 31 for cargo trucks, the same office collected Shs280m in one month,” he said.
On March 4, the Rwandan government announced the re-opening of its land borders for passenger vehicles and allowed all passengers to travel as long as they observe the Covid 19 procedures.
“I am happy that passenger vehicles have been allowed to go through this border because this will also increase our revenue collections as expect more cargo trucks to use this border post the fact that it is a shorter distance to Kigali city,” Mr Gikwiyakare said.
Sadam Hussein Kwizera, Volcano Bus Company Inspector, also hopes that business will come back to normal since passengers are ready and prepared to cross to either country like how it used to be before the impasse.
He says that so far, they are charging 15,000 Rwandan francs (equivalent to Uganda Shillings52,846) from Kigali to Kampala per passenger.