GULU, UGANDA: It was all excitement in Gulu City, northern Uganda on Friday as taxpayers won prizes in the Uganda Revenue Authority mpa e-Receipts Yange competition tour.
The promotion which took place yesterday evening at Gulu Main Market attracted hundreds of people participating in the competition aimed at promoting a culture of tracking one’s spending and verifying that the indirect taxes paid upon making purchases are indeed remitted to the government.
Omara Ambrose, a wholesale dealer in Gulu City, couldn’t believe being the lucky winner of the brand new Bajaj Boxer motorcycle.
“I am very happy. I never expected this. I was so surprised. to receive a phone call informing me that I won a motorcycle. I was already on my way home. This will improve my business,” the seemingly overwhelmed Omara told DailyExpress in an interview.
Omara said whenever he purchases stocks, he always picks up his electronic receipt for his record purpose, little did he know, one day, the receipts would fetch him a brand new motorcycle.
Upon hearing the Uganda Revenue Authority promotion on the same day, he said, he decided to activate about 20 e-receipts without even expecting anything good from them.
On receiving the phone call, Omara who was still about to reach home, informed his wife and daughter who later joined him on stage to dance to the famous song Yoo Leng by Romeo Odong in celebration.
Another winner of a brand new Tablet, Kerotich Veni, a resident of Gulu City, appreciates URA for the campaign.
According to Kerotich, the tablet came timely because she is starting her diploma course soon and she was wondering how she could get money to buy either a laptop or a smartphone for studies, looking at the high cost of living and school fees.
The other winners include Valentine Zirabamuzaale from Oyam (brand new laptop), Odong Charles and Oloya Calvin both a resident of Gulu City each won a Samsung Smartphone.
Susan Kirambo a salon operator at Gulu Main Market and Odoch Jamecy, a dealer in Spareparts at Obema Enterprise became unlucky to walk away with the boda boda motorcycle as both of them did not register their phone number using their personal National ID and were unable to produce legally recognized document to show proof of them.
Nonetheless, several people also won sundries upon answering MCs’ questions correctly at the event. Some of the sundries included headphones, a water bottle, a yoga mat, T-shirts, and suitcases.
Catherine Ayubo, the URA Station Head in Gulu City, encouraged people to continue activating their e-receipt to stand a chance to win more items as the campaign continues.
According to Ayubo, URA wants to promote a culture among taxpayers to demand their e-receipts when they are buying goods and services from business owners. And that the issuance of an Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS) will reduce and eliminate tax evasion by business owners as well as help them have track of their tax records.
Since the launch of EFRIS in 2022, there has been a low uptake of the technology due to a lack of money to buy the electronic fiscal device, however, the tax body says it’s working to establish easier technology to deploy on any platform without spending on the devices which businesses have not budgeted for.
Gulu City event becomes the third event where URA has held its regional tour in a campaign dubbed e-mpa e-Receipt Yange.
The tax collecting body started the campaign on Monday 10th July in Hoima City, Arua City on the 12th, Gulu City Friday 14th, and next Monday 17th they shall be in Lira City.
Other Cities in the queue include Mbale, Jinja, Masaka, Mbarara, and Fort Portal and the grand finale will be in Kampala.
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