By: Kyeyune Ali
Today at Hotel africana in Kampala, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) held a straining session for manufacturers and importers of goods that require Digital Tax stamps and how to use a new system.
The activity was led by acting assistant commissioner of compliance management, Garry Kizito who encouraged LED -registered taxpayers to start using the new web forms and highlighted how they would simplify tax filings and improve.
Felix Niwagaba, expert from URA clarified that the DTS system will be used exclusively for ordering digital stamps, while the e-tax Stock Keeping Unit is for filing Local exercise Duty (LED) returns and making amendments.
This training was part of URA’s broader digital push, which began in October 2023 with the launch of its Digital Strategy, aimed at providing faster, more efficient services to all ugandans.
“We expect all Local exercise Duty registered taxpayers to file their returns using the new web forms. That’s why we’ve trained your tax agents, and now we’re focusing on helping manufacturers to get comfortable” says the Acting Assistant Commissioner of Compliance Management, Garry Kizito.
The new Local Exercise Duty web return form, launched on November 1st, 2024, replaces the old Excel-based form that taxpayers previously downloaded from the portal to file their returns.
URA’s expert, madam Samalie Namitala said that “manufacturers and importers through the reasoning behind the changes and stress the importance of activating the digital stamps when goods leave their facilities for the local market. “Only goods that have left the premises are subject to Local Exercise Duty”.
She also addressed the issue of damaged goods, explaining that a form can be downloaded from the portal to report products damaged after sale, whether during transportation or storage. “We’re working on automating this process, but for now, please download the form, report the damages, and submit them for verification,”.