Uganda taxation: Is targeting small business the answer?
– Uganda has a fiscal deficit of 5.6 percent in 2023
– World Bank suspended funding to Uganda over anti-homosexuality law
– Traders in Kampala protested against high taxes and enforcement tactics
– Uganda has a narrow tax base, with tax collections totaling less than 14 percent of GDP
– Only 1 million Ugandans pay tax out of a population of almost 50 million
– Top 1,000 taxpayers contribute more than three-quarters of all tax revenue collections
– Uganda’s tax regime is less effective than many of its Sub-Saharan counterparts
– Tax regime is perceived as unfair by ordinary citizens
– Tax laws have elements of being progressive, particularly in personal income taxation
– Uganda faces challenges in raising sufficient funds for public services and economic development
– Reforms are needed in personal income tax rates, VAT threshold, presumptive tax thresholds, and business taxation
– Greater transparency in public spending and service delivery can improve taxpayer morale and compliance