KAMPALA — President Yoweri Museveni has said Uganda can do without donor aid if the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) plugs the leakages and controls tax evasion.
In his speech to commemorate the International Labour Day, Museveni said yesterday he has been convinced by the top management of URA that the country can do without donor aid.
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JOB DONE: Bukenya (L), Premier Apolo Nsibambi (C) and Labour Minister Bakoko Bakoru leave Kololo airstrip yesterday (PPU photo). |
The managers, he said, told him that URA's tax collection for March this year had overshot the target by Shs40 billion.
"I recently met the entire new management of URA, they think that by stopping leakages in tax collection we can move to 18 percent GDP growth," Museveni said in a speech read for him by Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya.
The President is on a tour of western Uganda. "This would translate into approximately Shs270 billion if the economy continues to grow at 5 or 6 percent. If we get a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) collection ratio of 24 percent, we shall not need this ignominious practice of dealing with these so-called donors," Museveni said.
"Those [donors'] meddling is responsible for the perpetuation of terrorism in northern Uganda, load shedding and the removal of tax holidays for our investors." Museveni's comments come days after the British government announced last week that it had withheld Shs17 of aid billion citing concerns about the handling of several aspects of the country's political transition.
Donors have queried defence spending and in the past the World Bank pulled out of funding the power project at Bujagali. Both moves have infuriated the President.
A statement from the British High Commission last week said Britain was also particularly unhappy with the progress made towards establishing a level playing field for parties in the country. The government on Friday shot back. The Minister of Information, Dr James Nsaba Buturo told The Monitor that if Britain is to give aid to Uganda, it should be without strings attached.
The donors have increasingly criticised several aspects of the transition including the proposed constitutional amendments especially about lifting of presidential term limits to allow a third term for President Museveni.
At yesterday’s celebrations KCC’s controversial sale of land belonging to the NSSF took centre stage. "That land should come back to the workers. KCC's decision to sell it should be rescinded," Labour minister Bakoko Bakoru said.
The chairman of the National Organisation of Trade Unions, Mr David Nkojjo called on employers to stop using job experiences as conditions for employment. |