Government Seeks Shs16 Billion Tax Waivers for Local Companies

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The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development is seeking tax waivers for three organisations amounting to over Shs16.8 billion. 
The requests to waive taxes for Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC), K-Roma Limited and Ankole Western University were laid before Parliament by the Minister for Finance, Hon. Henry Musasizi on Tuesday, 14 July 2026. 
The sitting of the House was chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa. 
Section 43(2) of the Tax Procedures Code Act provides that where a taxpayer’s case is referred to the minister by URA and the minister is satisfied that the tax due cannot be effectively recovered on grounds of financial hardship, the minister shall, with the approval of Parliament, remit the tax owed by the taxpayer.
The UPPC is seeking a waiver of over Shs13 billion due a decline in the corporation’s revenue from Shs19 billion to Shs8 billion in 2002 and further to Shs6 billion which is said to reflect an operational instability. 
It is also noted that the company has a significant proportion of overdue receivables with over 90 per cent of clients being government entities with delayed payments and over 50 percent outstanding for over one year.
“The corporation’s obsolete machinery has reduced productivity and competitiveness resulting in loss of business to cheaper competitors particularly on Nasser Road,”, the letter from the ministry states in part.
The ministry is also seeking a waiver of Shs1.8 billion for K-Roma Limited, a local manufacturer of Bella Wine.
The company’s cash position has reduced over a three-year period from Shs13 million in 2023 to Shs4.3 million in 2025 and that the net cash flows remain negative across all the years. 
“The tax payer attributes the financial difficulties to a decline in sales, partly arising from the post-COVID19 operating environment. In addition, the company is under pressure to develop the allocated land in Namanve Industrial Park, failure of which may result in its withdrawal by the Uganda Investment Authority,” the paper from the ministry states further.
The waiver for Ankole Western University of Shs1 billion is attributed to the decline in the institution’s revenue as a result of religious-political crisis with the Ankole Diocese between 2013 and 2015 which led to governance breakdown, and existence of parallel university councils. 
“Loss of public trust as well as effects of COVID-19 which disrupted operations reduced enrolment and necessitated the restructuring of existing loans, compounding the university’s financial burden,” the ministry adds.
The ministry also notes that the university’s indebtedness as of 31 December 2025 stood at over Shs2.8 billion.
However, some Members of Parliament demanded to know the criteria  government follows to consider companies for tax waivers.
Kalungu County West MP, Hon. Ssewungu Gonzaga demanded to know the processes used to grant waivers to local companies especially when there are many others struggling in the similar circumstances.
Kassanda North County Representative, Hon. Patrick Oshabe wondered why the ministry is seeking a waiver of over Shs13 billion for one company when the audit of Shs8.5 billion was carried out. 
“We need to have a discussion on who qualifies for waivers. We need to bring on board the audit process when making these considerations and also consider all the other companies and not just a few,” he said.
Minister Musasizi committed to provide details to Parliament detailing how companies can have access to the waivers.
“We will provide details on how taxpayers can get waivers. It is good for transparency because we hold these roles in trust of the people who put us in these offices. It is authentic to know what we are doing,” he added.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa referred the request to the Committee on Finance for consideration. 
 
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
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