By Mulengera ReportersFinance Minister Henry Musasizi has challenged newly recruited Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) staff to make integrity, professionalism and fairness the foundation of their work as Government intensifies efforts to boost domestic revenue mobilisation.Musasizi said revenue collection is not simply about enforcing tax laws and raising money, but also about rebuilding public confidence in the tax administration and Government.He made the remarks at the pass-out ceremony of 174 newly recruited URA staff who completed a one-month leadership training programme at the Oliver Reginald Tambo School of Leadership.“Every interaction with a taxpayer is an opportunity to build trust in URA and in Government,” Musasizi said.He urged the graduates to exercise their authority responsibly, saying the information and resources entrusted to tax officers must be handled with integrity and professionalism.“Your role goes beyond collecting revenue. You have a responsibility to help build a culture in which Ugandans understand that paying taxes is part of building the country we all want,” he said.The Minister also called on the officers to embrace technology and continuous learning, while keeping their primary responsibility of serving Ugandans at the centre of their work.“As you receive your certificates today, remember that this is not the destination, but the beginning of a greater responsibility,” he said.Revenue targetThe training comes at a time when Government is pushing for a significant increase in domestic revenue mobilisation, with a target of raising Uganda’s tax-to-GDP ratio to at least 20 per cent.Musasizi said Uganda’s economy has expanded to Shs250.4 trillion, but tax revenues remain equivalent to only about 14 per cent of GDP.“Uganda’s economy has grown to Shs250.4 trillion, but our tax-to-GDP ratio remains at about 14%. We must strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation and raise this to at least 20% to finance our development without excessive dependence on borrowing,” he said.The new officers are therefore expected to play a role not only in increasing collections, but also in improving the relationship between URA and taxpayers.UPDF links revenue to national securityRepresenting the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Joint Staff Political Commissar, Maj. Gen. Henry Matsiko, said effective revenue mobilisation has implications beyond financing Government programmes.“Successful revenue mobilization and protection is a force multiplier for UPDF, because this way we are guaranteed of adequate budget support to enhance force capacity,” Matsiko said.He called for broader support for domestic revenue mobilisation, including from security institutions.“Once URA thrives and succeeds, we equally benefit and also domestic efforts of mobilizing internal sources must be supported by everyone, including UPDF,” he said.Matsiko further urged the new officers and their supervisors to adopt a more disciplined approach to their responsibilities, warning against corruption, complacency and weak supervision.“The current Government posture is: no more sleep, no more corruption, no more laziness and no more politeness on the side of supervisors. It is not going to be business as usual,” he said.He said protecting public revenue is ultimately linked to protecting Uganda’s sovereignty, urging the officers to work with conviction, discipline and ethical conduct.More staff, more trainingURA Commissioner General John Musinguzi Rujoki said the authority has recruited 2,092 new staff over the past three years as it strengthens its workforce.Of these, 1,887 have already undergone mindset-change training, including 708 at the Oliver Reginald Tambo School of Leadership, 817 at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi and 362 at the Education and Skills Organisation (ESO) in Garuga.“We strongly believe this is one of the best trainings that anyone before they work with us must have to understand the needs of our country,” Musinguzi said.He assured Government that URA remains committed to delivering on the 20 per cent revenue-to-GDP target.For the authority, the leadership training is intended to ensure that new recruits understand the wider public-service responsibility attached to tax administration before they move into specialised technical roles.The Acting Commissioner of the Tax Academy, Emmanuel Bichetero, said the ideological course should not be treated as a formality, but as deliberate preparation for public service.“When you return, we expect renewed purpose and responsibility. You are no longer just new staff in URA. You are now members of the URA workforce,” Bichetero said.With Government seeking to reduce dependence on borrowing, the new recruits enter URA at a critical point in the country’s revenue mobilisation drive, where increasing collections will go hand in hand with efforts to improve taxpayer confidence, strengthen compliance and ensure that the authority is seen as fair, professional and accountable. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).