Finance Minister Matia Kasaija - Uganda Multimedia News & Information

Museveni orders sacking of URA staff over Shs4b tax row

Agnes Tumuheire — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 09:43:54 +0000

President Yoweri Museveni last week ordered for the suspension of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) official Geoffrey Olaka together with other staff on allegations of refusing to clear the machinery of Guangzhou Dongsong Energy Group Limited officials at customs.

President Museveni with Dongsong official at the launch of the phosphate project

Dongsong is the Chinese company developing a $620m (Shs2.2 trillion) Osukulu industrial complex in Tororo District which will include a fertiliser manufacturing plant and a steel plant.

President Museveni wrote a letter to the Finance minister Matia Kasaija, labelling Dongsong as a “serious investor” who intends “to turn the waste of the steel factory into construction bricks, and also wants to import sewing machines for sealing the bags of fertlisers”.

“The URA staff, either out of ignorance, malice or corruption are tossing our investors endlessly—in this case for the whole of July 2018. Meanwhile, the machinery blocked at Mombasa is incurring demurrage charge, Anybody who does not understand the mission of industrialising and modernising Uganda must leave URA.” Museveni wrote.

URA’s commissioner for public and corporate affairs Vincent Seruma acknowledged receipt of the letter and said “the matter is being handled administratively”.

URA officials, according to correspondences and insider accounts, had pressed Dongsong to pay customs duties for the machinery to the tune of Shs4.5 billion.

However, Dongsong’s lawyers ABMAK Associates maintained that the company in 2014 entered into a mineral agreement with government, which provided for tax exemption.

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Minister of finance apologises to parliament

ruth sierra — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 09:25:28 +0000

Minister of finance Matia Kasaija has apologised to the parliament for the statement he made accusing Parliament of passing a 1% tax on mobile money which wasn’t the position of the Ministry. This happened after Speaker of parliament Rebbecca Kadaga asked Matia Kasaija to make an apology to the parliament during a session on 11^th July 2018.

Minister Kasaija apologized to MPs for the statement he made

Hon. Kasaija first denied the allegations but later on he made an apology. “In my address, I never meant to say that Parliament passed 1% tax in error. I can’t come and fault and say that Parliament that acted in error, I couldn’t do that. I am part of this Parliament; I would have shot myself in the foot.” He added on saying “I apologize sincerely. I did apologize to the caucus yesterday. I never meant to say that Parliament passed the Act in error.”

However, Winnie Kiiza leader of opposition demanded that Hon.Kasaija submits a written statement of his apology. “I find it uncomforting that the apology that was demanded of the Minister is taken casually and yet it is affecting a serious matter because the integrity at Parliament is at stake, Ugandans will not believe it anymore.” She demanded.

Financial year ends as budget is explained

Isaac Senabulya — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 13:59:16 +0000

Keith Muhakanizi

The secretary to the treasurer, Keith Muhakanizi revealed that government has managed to save over UGX 200bn in the ending financial year which is to be used to fund other government programmes. Muhakanizi while responding to questions from journalists, said, the fund arose from checking on power government spending, coupled with efforts to combat graft among different government institutions.

He also noted that with the next financial year starting tomorrow, it is this week that finance will be releasing funds for the 1st quarter to all government agencies and departments and urged all accounting officers to account for the resources very well. Muhakanizi added that government will not over shoot the expenditure for this starting financial year so as to enforce proper financial discipline.

Matia Kasaija

In another meeting, the Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija and the Central Bank governor have come out to give clarity on the UGX 23,972 bn budget saying the passed figure included provisions for the domestic debt repayment of amount UGX. 4,787 Bn for government treasury bills and bonds which will be rolled over as and when they mature in the course of next financial year.

At a news conference held in Kampala today, the Finance Minister made it clear that provisions for the domestic debt repayments is a requirement of the new Public Finance Management Act 2015, adding that the real budget expenditures for the next financial year starting tomorrow total to UGX 19, 184bn and it is upon this factor that the Minister calls on Ugandans to pay taxes to enable government fund its programmes.

However on the issue of exchange and weakening of the local currency, the Minister and the governor attributed the matter to the strengthening of the dollar against other currencies coupled with large sums of imports over exports made by Ugandans. The economists called on Ugandan manufactures among other business community members to increase on exports to help save the shilling from further depreciation which has caused negative impacts to people’s businesses.

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