By Mulengera Reporters
You don’t teach a man by shouting at him, but by showing him the way, goes an African saying. And in Buyende District, East ern Uganda, that’s exactly what Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is doing with its latest tax education campaign, Tujenge Uganda.
While many government agencies are quick to enforce, URA has chosen a different path, teach first, collect later, and the results are beginning to show.
During the five-day Tujenge outreach in Kamuli and Buyende, Mr. Ssekitoleko Wilber, the Buyende District Chairman, couldn’t hide his excitement. “We appreciate the approach of teaching people before enforcing because it simplifies things for us to pay taxes,” he said, in what sounded more like a relief than a compliment.
This was during a regional mobile campaign that saw URA move door to door, town to town, using the now-famous Tujenge Bus to educate, register and engage taxpayers.
The effort, which started in Igwaya and ended in Kamuli Town, recorded a sharp 20% increase in tax collections within just three days.
Richard Arepai, head of the Kamuli Domestic Taxes Office, confirmed the impact, saying, “Tujenge has helped us cover a wider area in the shortest time. The method works.”
Mathias Aribo, Nawanyago Sub-county praised the team’s respectful and patient approach. “They kept us informed instead of just ambushing us. That’s important. It shows respect,” he said.
The Tujenge Bus, which some locals now refer to as “the classroom on wheels,” didn’t just focus on taxes, but also restored trust.
In Buyende, the outreach landed on Day 3 and 4, and by the time the camp closed on Day 5, there was a growing chorus of support urging URA to make these visits regular (twice a year at least).
Arepai echoed that call. “We need these kinds of engagements between July and December, then again from January to June. It’s the only way to make lasting change,” he noted.
By educating instead of intimidating, URA is slowly turning taxpayers from reluctant contributors into informed partners. Indeed, when the people understand the law, they own it. And when they own it, they follow it. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
