Achieving a normal flow in tax compliance is the dream of every Domestic tax officer, but it doesn’t occur overnight; it is cultivated over time. Kagadi town exemplifies this concept.

On the opening day of the Tujenge Uganda mobile tax office’s excursion, the warm reception from local business owners toward the Tax Education team and the Hoima Domestic taxes Office staff was both refreshing. It was a conversation about Payment Registration Number (PRN) issuance and payment.

Taxpayers debated how much to pay, with some eager to maintain their previous year’s status quo. Meanwhile, tax officers sought to leverage visible growth, educating them on why they needed to contribute more than in the past. It quickly became apparent that the Tujenge Uganda initiative and door-to-door visits were familiar to the traders in the area.

Patrick Kitamirike, a Hoima DT officer who participated in Tujenge Uganda’s initial venture into Kagadi in February 2022, provided valuable perspective. “What you see now is a far cry from what we encountered four years ago. Kagadi was originally a hub for smuggling, and its business people were both unaware of taxes and resistant to tax officials,” he explained.

He noted that the Tax Education team focused on educating the community for a week before returning a month later to assess and collect through a door-to-door ‘tax katale’ model.

“Since then, traders have embraced tax compliance. Most now possess TINs traceable to 2022 and payment records dating back the same period,” Kitamirike added.

He credited the Tujenge Uganda mobile tax office with helping the Hoima station make significant strides in Kagadi.

Today, the Hoima DT station focuses on regular monitoring, engaging taxpayers, and supporting small businesses in becoming substantial contributors. Sectors such as hardware, general trade, and health services dominate, with banks like Stanbic and credit providers emerging.

By Solomon Kimbugwe