Robert Kalumba, the Assistant Commissioner of Public and Corporate Affairs at URAThe Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has defended its decision to acquire additional office space at Pearl Tower along Yusuf Lule Road in Kampala, describing the move as part of its strategy to enhance efficiency and provide better service delivery to taxpayers.The new premises will host several key departments, including the Large Taxpayers Officer (LTO), the Public Sector and Medium Taxpayer Divisions, and other specialized units.According to sources familiar with the procurement, URA will spend about Shs6 billion annually on the new space—the lowest among the three bids submitted during the evaluation process.GrowthRobert Kalumba, the Assistant Commissioner of Public and Corporate Affairs at URA, said the expansion was necessary to accommodate URA’s growing workforce and meet the needs of emerging industries such as oil and gas.“We have grown to serve you better and quicker,” Kalumba explained. “The expansion is in response to the growth of entities like oil and petroleum companies that require specialized attention.”Kalumba revealed that Pearl Towers will also host the Taxpayer Support Center. The Center will offer support services to the taxpayers in areas such as filing tax returns, self-clearance at Customs, and record-keeping, among others.“These are services that they would otherwise pay tax agents for, and many times they are even misadvised after paying an arm and a leg. URA will be doing this for free to empower our taxpayers with knowledge and to bridge the tax knowledge gap,” said Kalumba.RelocationKalumba emphasized that the relocation process will be conducted in phases to avoid disrupting services to taxpayers.“First to move are the Large Taxpayer Offices, the Public Sector, and the Medium Taxpayer Division. Later, the Risk and Strategy Department and the Petroleum Division will follow,” he said.He added that the Pearl Tower offices will bring services closer to clients, especially those within the Central Business District (CBD).“This affects the taxpayer in the most positive way. We are now nearer to our clients. More staff means faster and more meticulous service,” he said.Recruitment, need for more spaceThe URA recently completed a large-scale recruitment of over 1,000 new staff, mainly deployed in the customs department. This, according to Kalumba, made the acquisition of additional office space inevitable.“URA has grown from about 2,000 staff five years ago to over 3,000 currently,” he said. “This matches the increase in our revenue targets—from Shs 19 trillion five years ago to Shs 31 trillion today.”He added that the URA Tower in Nakawa currently accommodates about 1,700 staff, leaving a need for office space for approximately 1,300 additional employees.Dismisses Shs 18 billion rent claimsKalumba dismissed as false and misleading the circulating reports on social media alleging that URA was paying Shs 18 billion annually in rent for the new offices.“Shs 18 billion annually is false! One of the biggest problems we face as a society is fake news—and its ability to be believed by many. Who honestly pays Shs 18 billion annually in rent?” he said.He further clarified that the procurement was open, competitive, and fully compliant with the PPDA Act.“The bidder came in with the lowest bid, and the process followed all PPDA rules and regulations,” he emphasized.He reiterated URA’s commitment to transparency, fiscal prudence, and taxpayer convenience, noting that modernization and expansion were part of a broader effort to strengthen national revenue collection and improve taxpayer experience.“URA remains committed to transparency and service excellence as we expand our capacity to meet growing national and private sector demands,” he said.The post URA Explains Why It Acquired Additional Office Space At Pearl Tower appeared first on Business Focus.