Local revenue system strengthening in Nebbi and Zombo districts has spurred an increase in local revenue mobilization and accountability
Local revenue system strengthening in Nebbi and Zombo districts has spurred an increase in local revenue mobilization and accountability
SEATINI-Uganda in collaboration with Oxfam in Uganda and the Agency for Community Empowerment is implementing a project titled “Power of Voice Project” in Nebbi, Zombo, and Arua districts targeting the district local government, Civil Society, and Tax Justice Campaigners within those jurisdictions. Since the inception of the project, several activities have been implemented with the targeted stakeholders, to strengthen local revenue mobilisation and management systems and improve service delivery and accountability.
In a bid to assess the progress and provide mentoring sessions for the Tax Justice campaigners from the work they have been doing and the capacity-building for system strengthening extended to the Local Government officials, on 29th and 30th January 2024, SEATINI-Uganda conducted monitoring visits in Zombo and Nebbi districts to assess the progress of the tax justice campaigner’s civic awareness campaigns on fair, inclusive and equitable local revenue mobilization and accountability.
The monitoring visits served as a platform to engage and document stories of change contributed by the tax justice campaigners and the respective local government towards accountable and increased Local revenue mobilization and utilisation. Also, the monitoring visits were used for mentoring and coaching the tax justice campaigners to enhance their advocacy and campaigning skills. During the visit, some milestones were documented including, inter alia;
The ability of the tax justice campaigners to identify tax injustice within their jurisdiction. According to the tax justice campaigners from Nebbi district, they identified a divested bridge located in the Eastern part of Zilli Village in Nebbi district. The bridge was constructed back in the 1960s, and was in a state of disrepair, posing a risk of accidents to the local community. Consequently, the Tax justice campaigners engaged with their local government on the issues. It was noted that it was from their advocacy that the local government was able to allocate funds from the local revenue collection to purchase materials (iron bars) for the reconstruction of the bridge, Mr. Orombi Yallo Lambert a Tax Justice Campaigner, Nebbi district, said.
Furthermore, out of the tax Justice campaigner’s influence, Erussi Health Centre II received a presidential pledge to upgrade it from Health Centre II to Health Centre IV.
Erusi Sub-county -Nebbi district recorded an increase in local revenue collection. “through improvement on Local revenue system strengthening, Erussi Sub-county, Nebbi district was able to increase its local revenue mobilization. This was attributed to the implementation of the Integrated Revenue Administrative Systems (IRAS) that checks on Parish Chiefs collecting tax manually, continuous sensitization, and collaboration with Tax Justice Campaigners. As a result, the sub-county was able to generate UGX. 49 million out of the UGX.46 million projected in the FY 2021/22. The Sub-county also collected UGX. 51 million out of the UGX.49 million projected”. Said Mr. Orom Collins, LCIII Chairperson Erussi Sub-County.
More still, out of the sub-county’s better performance, they received a certificate of recognition and they have been able to identify new sources of local revenue mobilization, for instance, sugar cane business, and sand mining. This followed proper assessments of the market stall which enabled Erussi sub-county to collect UGX. 10 million from the usual UGX. 3 million the sub-county used to collect from the market.
According to the LCIII Chairperson Erussi sub-county, “the sub-county will be able to use the locally raised revenue to supplement the dwindling revenue from the Center Government, especially the Discretionary Development Equalisation Grant (DDEG) as well as giving a reasonable 25% to the villages as stipulated in the Local government Act ”
By conducting these monitoring visits and providing mentoring sessions, SEATINI-Uganda is reaffirming its commitment to supporting Tax Justice Campaigners and local governments of Nebbi and Zombo districts in the local revenue mobilization and management system. SEATINI and Power of Voice Project partners and stakeholders are dedicated to creating positive change and fostering fair and inclusive local revenue mobilization, utilization, and accountability.
