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{
    "id": 482432,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/482432/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 232,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ogolla",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1264,
        "legal_name": "Gideon Ochanda Ogolla",
        "slug": "gideon-ochanda-ogolla"
    },
    "content": "country. As we discuss this, there are many ways that we have not looked at as a country and as a Government in terms of trying to reduce the whole issue of tax burden. It has been grossed over a period of time that we are taxing because of services. We are taxing because there are certain services that we want to render. We are also very clear, and this in the public domain, that there are quite a lot of resources and assets that are unclaimed and which, if they were put into good use, can easily reduce the whole issue of broadening the tax base. We will have alternative sources of supporting our services. We will have alternative resources in terms of rendering services to this country. The other area that really has not been looked at very keenly is the whole issue of pilferage. There are many gaps. When we constantly talk about sugar importation and that a lot of sugar is imported, as an example, this means that quite a lot of things happen in the country. When sugar is not taxed, this triggers many things downwards. For instance, production is reduced. When production is reduced, it basically means that many people who are dependent on that sector are in trouble. At the end of the day, they are not able to pay tax. The other area that is important to look at is: We constantly talk about bureaucracy in terms of levels at which one has to either pay or the administrative arrangements that are there for purposes of paying. For some time, it has been clear that Rwanda, our neighbour, which in many ways we do not need to be comparing ourselves with, has shortened the bureaucracy in terms of the levels and administrative arrangements for purposes of raising revenue. In this country, we still have lengthened processes. Simple things require very complex kind of administrative arrangements for purposes of paying tax. The best way that we could make tax cheap is to reduce this kind of bureaucracy and the administrative levels and arrangements for purposes of making even the process of paying tax cheap. It is not just a matter of the percentages that one is supposed to be paying, but the entire administrative cost at the individual level should be looked into. How much time do you have to spend in terms of running around to pay your tax? The other thing that I wanted to speak to is the whole issue of the attempt to harmonize revenue collection or taxation arrangements along our border lines. My constituency, for instance, has borders in the waters. There is a big challenge in terms of how this is done. Our fishermen, in terms of accessing resources and fishing escapades, have to pay, sometimes, revenues in Uganda in order to either cross or to come back and sell their commodities. This is a big problem. It also happens in the land borders The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}