URA Foils Disruption Plot as Traders’ Meeting Collapses Over Security Measures at Nakawa Headquarters

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has halted a planned engagement with traders at its headquarters in Nakawa, Kampala, after intelligence reports allegedly exposed plans by some individuals to disrupt the meeting and heckle Commissioner General John Musinguzi. The Tuesday engagement ended prematurely following disagreements over security measures introduced by the tax authority to protect the proceedings.

The meeting had been organised to provide traders with an opportunity to raise concerns affecting their businesses and seek clarification from URA leadership. Among the issues expected to dominate discussions were the implementation of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS), under-declaration of goods, the rising dollar, taxation challenges and the general business environment.

However, the planned dialogue was thrown into uncertainty after URA reportedly received intelligence indicating that certain individuals had infiltrated the gathering with intentions of causing disorder and frustrating the discussions. Some of the suspected disruptors were allegedly operating in downtown Kampala and had reportedly planned to heckle Musinguzi during the engagement.

In response, URA tightened security around the meeting venue and directed participants to surrender their mobile phones to security personnel at the entrance before accessing the premises. While several traders accepted the arrangement, others objected, questioning why they were being denied access to their phones. The disagreement quickly escalated, with some participants reportedly urging others to walk out, eventually bringing the meeting to a standstill.

The collapse of the engagement left several traders unable to present their grievances to the authority. Some subsequently gathered within the URA compound to express their dissatisfaction with the security arrangements, while the planned discussions on taxation and other business-related challenges remained unresolved.

URA Assistant Commissioner for Public and Corporate Affairs, Robert Kalumba, defended the security measures, explaining that the authority had organised the meeting in good faith to listen to traders and find practical solutions to their concerns. He said the decision to collect mobile phones was intended to maintain order, minimise distractions and ensure that participants concentrated on the discussions.

"It's disappointing that some so-called traders frustrated the genuine traders to have their issues addressed," Kalumba said, expressing concern that the conduct of a few individuals had denied other stakeholders an opportunity to engage directly with the tax authority. He maintained that the meeting was meant to address genuine concerns rather than provide a platform for disruption.

Kalumba assured the business community that URA would organise another meeting, emphasising that traders remain strategic stakeholders whose concerns cannot be ignored. "We are going to have another meeting. These are strategic stakeholders. However, within them exists some bad elements with different intentions," he said. URA maintains that it remains committed to dialogue and expects the next engagement to provide an opportunity for constructive discussions on EFRIS, taxation, imports and the challenges affecting businesses across the country.