COSASE summons energy minister, URA officials over gold tax waiver.
Parliament’s Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities & State Enterprises (COSASE), is today scheduled to interface with officials from Uganda Revenue Authority alongside the Minister of Energy & Minerals Development to explain the impasse around collection of tax on gold exports.
In May 2023, the Attorney General told Parliament that government had resolved to challenge the interim orders exempting payment of taxes on gold exports.
Kiryowa Kiwanuka was at the time, responding to concerns raised by legislators on a waiver issued by the energy ministry that slashed taxes on the gold to Shs43 billion, down from Shs 616 billion.
Earlier in 2021, the finance ministry had issued a directive to halt the implementation of the five per cent levy (US$ 200) on each kilogram of exported gold.
In a similar stride, in March 2023, energy minister Ruth Nankabirwa, also directed URA to halt the recovery of gold export taxes.
In his report on the performance of URA for the Financial Year 2021/2022, the Auditor General noted that URA failed to collect Shs340 billion in taxes from gold exports, which was estimated to be recovered after the five per cent levy was implemented.
