President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in a surprise move announced by his media team on July 5 created a new Revenue Intelligence Unit to check the country’s tax administration systems.
The creation of the unit also brought Mr. David Kalemera as its pioneer head with an uphill task of closing revenue leakages, fraud schemes and corruption infrastructure said to be depriving the country of billions of shillings in under declarations and tax evasions.
Mr. Kalemera quickly went to his X platform to thank the appointing authority and equally echoed his own resolve to perform the task. “This new role comes with great responsibility and I am committed to overseeing URA operations and fighting corruption within our tax administration” he wrote.
Mr. Kalemera’s track record said to have a conviction on graft charges has overshadowed the objectivity in the creation of the unit with the media carrying stories all over of criticism to Museveni’s new choice of a tax policeman.
Uganda Revenue Authority’s Assistant Commissioner for Public and Corporate Affairs Ibrahim Kibuuka Bbosa over the weekend told Daily Monitor that the taxman was ready to work with Mr. Kalemera and welcomed his efforts in helping the country collect more revenue.
Bbosa’s statement watered down the widespread criticism demonstrating that URA was not in anyway worried a policing unit over it as if to say it is a clean institution equally desirous of Kalemera’s new role in aiding their work.
Bbosa avoided mention of Kalemera’s criminal history that many had concentrated on and instead welcomed his appointment. This was not only a plus for Bbosa as a strategic communicator but a demonstration of URA’s willingness to support all efforts for its efficiency. Kudos Bbosa for the timely defense of John Musinguzi Rujoki’s reign at Nakawa.
URA Commissioner General John Rujoki Musinguzi and Mr. David Kalemera the Head of the new Revenue Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit.
Those opposed to Kalemera argue that he was April 21, 2022 found guilty of corruption charges and therefore the wrong choice for the newly created role. Many still oppose President Yoweri Museveni’s efforts on corruption with some naming him the mastermind of corruption hence undermining his initiatives as blindfolding Ugandans.
Journalist Simon Muyanga Lutaaya who also heads the SML News UG media in one of his weekly shows also aired on YouTube, “Inside out” acknowledges the softness of President Museveni on fighting corruption but hastens to add that the irony is that you need Museveni to fight the vice and that the big man could be mysteriously solving a puzzle in this case.
“Mr. Museveni who appears to be weak on fighting corruption is the very person mandated to fight it. He is intelligent enough to know who David Kalemera is. If not Kalemera, then who among Ugandans was best suited for the role?” he ponders.
Sir Simon declines condemning Kalemera, instead commending him as the most suitable candidate to confront this societal ill, given his profound understanding derived from previous involvement.
He challenges those who critique Kalemera’s appointment to reflect on their own efforts in combating corruption in the country. He stresses that corruption not only undermines public trust in the government but also hinder economic progress, depriving the public of essential services.
Sir Simon urges the populace to combat corruption at every level, from the confines of their homes to their social interactions, since it is accommodated in various aspects of daily life. He underscores that embezzlement of public funds represents just one side of corruption and advocates for the condemnation of all forms of corrupt practices.
With Bbosa’s statement from URA, it is Mr. Kalemera’s duty now to prove his skeptics wrong, over to you David!
Joselyn Nakitto is a staff writer at SML News Ug with passion in health, business and current affairs. She can be contacted on 0709603158
