The Uganda Revenue Authority is hearing it directly from taxpayers: show us where the money goes, or collecting it gets harder. The agency has openly acknowledged that growing public doubt about how government funds are spent is making its job of collecting taxes more difficult across the country.
This is not just a compliance problem on paper. When ordinary Ugandans question whether their contributions are being put to good use, their willingness to meet tax obligations drops, and the URA feels that resistance in real terms. The agency's candid admission reflects a wider conversation happening across the continent about the relationship between citizens and the states they fund.
Trust, it turns out, is a tax policy issue. The URA's acknowledgment points to something that finance officials often sidestep: accountability and revenue collection are directly connected. When governments spend visibly and responsibly, people pay. When they don't, enforcement alone cannot close the gap. Uganda is learning that lesson out loud.
Originally published by AllAfrica.