Sacked staff blackmailing URA on corruption, says Commissioner General

The Commissioner General of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Mr John Musinguzi Rujokyi has said the allegations of corruption at the taxman are the work of former staff who are trying to blackmail the company.

The Inspectorate of Government (IG) is conducting a wide-ranging investigation into allegations of unbridled corruption, gross abuse of office and tax evasion at the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), where it is feared the country may have lost hundreds of billions of shillings.

But according to Musinguzi, in the last three years, 63 staff have lost their jobs and three have been prosecuted for corruption-related crimes, and it is some of these that could be blackmailing the company.

“The allegations in the media are unfair and manipulative being fuelled by some wrong elements who have been sacked and are now trying to use their influence to blackmail the institution. The fight against corruption is at the heart of URA’s daily operations and is unstoppable,” he tweeted on Wednesday, 12 April 2023.

“As we serve our country, we are instituting several internal anti-corruption measures to maintain our integrity. We are on a mission to mobilize enough revenues for our nation’s development, and we will not be diverted. I urge the public to wait for the IGG’s conclusive report on the ongoing investigations,” he added.

“The allegations in the media are unfair and manipulative being fuelled by some wrong elements who have been sacked and are now trying to use their influence to blackmail the institution. The fight against corruption is at the heart of URA’s daily operations and is unstoppable,”

John Musinguzi Rujokyi, URA COMMISSIONER GENERAL

The IGG is investigating allegations of “blatant alteration and concealment of records by URA officials to facilitate tax evasion; non-collection of taxes worth hundreds of billions; undue and reckless waivers of tax liabilities; gross misappropriation of informer rewards scheme cash; and connivance in management of tax disputes leading to revenue loss.

In the last financial year, the URA fell short of its Shs22.8 trillion revenue collection target by more than Shs700 billion, according to the Auditor General’s (AG) 2021/2022 report.

The tax body has over the years been derided for reportedly being a hotbed of corruption, with President Museveni describing it as a “den of thieves”.