URA enforcement officers load impounded smuggled motorcycles onto a pick-up truck in Arua recently. Photo Daily Monitor
Members of parliament hailing from West Nile have expressed their disappointment over Uganda Revenue Authority enforcement officers methods of collecting tax . The MPs accuse the officers of subjecting people to ‘inhuman methods’ of collecting tax in the West Nile sub region and the entire country.
This follows last week’s incident were UPDF officers attached to Uganda Revenue Authority shot two people and injured others in Yumbe town in an operation that was aimed at impounding motorcycles without license plates.
Speaking to journalists at parliament today, the Woman Member of Parliament for Yumbe District. Zaitun Driwaru, Maracha District Woman MP, Rose Atima Ayaka, and Aringa County MP, Ashraf Olega, said that the methods URA use to collect tax are ‘cruel and rough’ against suspected defaulting tax payers.
The MPs reported that one of the victims of this operation whose name was not revealed lost his testicles which is denying him his reproductive right.
Visibly angry MPs asked URA boss, Doris Akol, to apologize to the people of West Nile whose daughters and sons were mistreated by URA officers during the collection of tax.
They demand that URA pays the medical bills of the persons injured during this operation and be compensated.
Ngora County MP, David Abala, said that the URA law enforcement officer should further undergo training in human rights so as they respect the rights of people while carrying out operations.