By Alex Pithua and Mike Rwothomio
Westnile
The Zombo district council have again passed a resolution to collect 2% revenue from the sales of land within the district to boost locally generated revenue.
The resolution ensures that the parties involve in land transactions (seller and buyer) pay 1% of the total purchase of land to the district at the time of carrying the transaction.
Hassan Ringtho, the speaker of Zombo District Council said ” The Council have resolved on land sale revenue whereby 2% of the total land sale revenue will be shared between the buyer and the seller with each sharing 1% on which ever peace of land that will be sold within the district”.
Recently the Zombo district council also passed a similar resolution on property tax whereby 5% tax will be collected on a rateable value of property and mobilizing and sensitizing local residents on property rates have commenced.
According to the approved property valuation roll, a total of 1,702 properties have been assessed and valued across the 15 sub counties and 4 Town councils of Paidha Zombo Warr and Padea to be taxed.
Mustafa Ongom, the Zombo district secretary of finance, planning and administration said they project to collect over 4.9 billion shillings from property rates to expand the local revenue base for the district.
According to Ongom the new property rate was made possible with support from the United Nations Capital Development Fund and Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) programme.
Meanwhile, Saddiki Onencan, the chairperson of finance, planning and administration committee explains that the committee approved 5 percent as the rateable value of a property following a thorough analysis of the income levels of the local community. He further noted that they have already commenced with the sensitization of taxpayers on the benefits of paying taxes promptly, as they move to roll out the property rate tax.
Records from the finance, planning and administration committee Zombo district projected to collect shillings 1.2 billion in the 2022/2023 financial year, but managed to collect shillings 1.1 billion by June, 30, 2023 indicating a 92 per cent local revenue performance.
However, the business community who spoke to The Standards Publication journalists have welcomed the move by the district to expand revenue source but caution against corrupt tendency which will impact negatively on service delivery.
The Zombo district locals are well aware about the soar relationship the country has with World Bank who threatened no funds to the Uganda national budget after president Museveni assented onto the anti-homosexuality bill 2023 amendment into law in May 2023.
