URA RALLIES PUBLIC IN WEST NILE TO REGISTER MOTORCYCLES AS PROMOTION NEARS END

Sanyu Claire, URA supervisor for stakeholder engagement in West Nile region.

By Godwin Abedican
Arua City

With only 2 months left to the end of the ongoing promotion in West Nile for the registration of motorcycles for number plates at reduced costs, Uganda Revenue Authority West Nile regional office is calling upon motorcycle owners to comply siting pending operations after the expiry of the current period by June 30, 2025.

The promotion stated on February 12th last year when Finance Minister Henry Musasizi announced the temporary measure for the reduction in price for the registration of motorcycles from west Nile allowing riders to pay half of the initial price of 1.5 million shillings for number plates with the new rates between 750,000 and 850,000 depending on the make of the motorcycle promotion was to run until on June 30, 2024.

Following a plea by leaders from the region during a tax baraza that held in Arua city on October 2nd 2024, the leaders appealed for an extension of the promotion from the June and was made until September 30, which was later extended up to the end of the 2024.

With more engagements taking place, the tax body offered a fresh consideration for the riders in the region giving them an additional 6 months from January and this is set to end at the close of this financial year 2024/2025 by June 30, 2025.

Sanyu Claire, the URA supervisor for stakeholder engagement in West Nile region is therefore appealing to the public to consider the offer given the little time left pending sweeping actions of the tax authority.

“I want to make another call again to the public, let’s not wait for the last moment, there are people out there who actually have the money to register but they just want to come at the last moment. I would like to emphasize that opportunity knocks once an it comes at a cost. Let us use this opportunity, exhaust it to the fullest and have another reason for a consideration because if we are not embracing this,” she said.
 
According to Sanyu, the riders have an advantage of being helped better when they are more organized “We did encourage the associations of the riders that they should come in to associations. When your association is well organized, with good structures, it’s much easier for you to register the motorcycles through the association may be in terms of a loan facility just to make sure that you comply with the law,” she appealed.

Tumwesigye Simon, URA manager for Customs enforcement and border control West Nile.

Meanwhile Tumwesigye Simon, the URA manager for customs enforcement and border control West Nile notes with concern the reduction in interest among the riders to register their motorcycles

“We have these unregistered motorcycles. Most times they are used for smuggling because even if you got them you cannot identify who the owner is and in the security circles, there are other offences that they commit.,” Tumwesigye stated.  

According to data from Uganda revenue authority, between January and March this year a total of 5,866 motorcycles have been registered.