Keynote address by Mr John R. Musinguzi
Commissioner General, Uganda Revenue Authority
28 May, 2025 at Mestil Hotel, Kampala
TOPIC: Strengthening national accountability through responsible journalism and inclusive tax dialogue
Salutations
- The Executive Director of the African Centre for Media Excellence, Dr. George Lugalambi
- Distinguished Judges and Members of the Media Fraternity
- Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps
- Representatives of Development Partners
- Leaders from the Corporate and Public Sectors
- Civil Society Representatives
Ladies and gentlemen. Good evening.
It is an honor and a privilege to stand before you this evening at the 11th edition of the Uganda National Journalism Awards. I thank the African Centre for Media Excellence for this invitation, and more importantly, for sustaining a platform that recognizes excellence in a field that is both noble and vital to the progress of our country: journalism.
I bring you warm greetings from the Uganda Revenue Authority and reaffirm our appreciation of the work that all of you in this room do to uphold the values of truth, fairness, and accountability.
The power of journalism in shaping a nation
Journalism is not just about telling stories. It is about shaping how a society understands itself. It is about informing choices, amplifying voices, and demanding better from those entrusted with responsibility. It is about nation-building.
Throughout history, every successful society has leaned on a free and responsible press. In Uganda today, your role in safeguarding democracy, holding institutions accountable, and stimulating debate on national issues is indispensable. You have been our mirrors and our moral compass.
But tonight, I have chosen to speak on a subject I consider both urgent and foundational to our nation’s progress — Strengthening National Accountability through Responsible Journalism and Inclusive Tax Dialogue.
This is not just a theme for a speech; it is a call to action. It invites us to reflect on the power of journalism to influence how citizens engage with governance, how they understand economic policy, and how they embrace their role in building a self-reliant Uganda.
It is in this spirit that I want to focus on a dimension of journalism that is often understated yet deeply consequential: the role of the media in shaping Uganda’s economic destiny. Because responsible journalism is not just a watchdog of power, it is a bridge between institutions and citizens, especially in matters of taxation, public policy and national development.
Journalism and the economy: The unspoken connection
Ladies and Gentlemen, when the media unpacks the national budget, breaks down tax policy, investigates misuse of public funds, or tells the story of a small business fighting to stay afloat, it is contributing to economic development.
Every accurate report that explains taxation in simple terms educates a potential taxpayer. Every profile of a compliant business inspires others to do the same. And every disclosure of corruption strengthens the moral fabric that sustains voluntary compliance.
At URA, we are mandated to mobilize revenue for national development in a transparent and professional manner. We believe that economic transformation is impossible without fiscal transparency. But transparency cannot thrive in isolation. It requires responsible journalism that educates, questions, and informs with integrity. You are not just messengers. You are economic actors in your own right.
Uganda’s revenue journey: Where we stand
Allow me to share some context from where we stand as a country.
As URA, we are entrusted with the monumental task of mobilizing domestic revenue to finance Uganda’s development agenda. Our goal is to reduce reliance on external borrowing and empower national sovereignty. It is a task we take seriously.
In the current Financial Year 2024/25, our target is UGX 31.36 trillion. We are now at about 27.36 trillion, with about 4 trillion to go and we are optimistic that by June 31st, we will meet it. But even if we do, this amount will only cover 43.5 percent of the national budget of 72.1 trillion. The rest (56.5%) will need to be financed through borrowing – a reality that limits our economic progress.
While we are making undeniable progress, we are not yet where we ought to be. Research consistently shows that for any country to develop sustainably, it must achieve a Tax-to-GDP ratio of at least 20 percent. Uganda’s current ratio stands at 13.8 percent, still below the African continental average of 16 percent.
This means we are missing out on vital revenue. Revenue that could build schools, equip hospitals, improve infrastructure, and uplift communities across the country. Mobilizing this revenue is not just about figures. It is about national progress.
The missing link: A national tax culture
Why is this so? One key reason is that our country still lacks a deep-rooted tax-paying culture. There remains a distance between taxpayers and the tax system, not only in knowledge but also in the experience of mutual confidence and collaboration. And this is where the media must come in.
We need your voices to help demystify taxation. We need your storytelling to humanize it. We need you to move beyond event-based reporting into sustained, impactful journalism that draws the link between taxes paid and services delivered.
When a journalist in Gulu tells the story of a farmer who benefits from a tax-funded agricultural program, you are not just informing the public, you are contributing to nation building.
When a radio host in Arua explains the rationale behind a new tax measure in the local language, you are not just engaging listeners, you are empowering citizens.
Towards a stronger URA-media partnership
Let me now speak directly to the future. We are interested in a deeper, more strategic partnership with the media — one that is rooted in mutual respect and shared national interest.
In the coming financial year, we are exploring a partnership with the African Centre for Media Excellence to establish a “URA-ACME Fellowship for Business and Financial Reporting. This initiative will support capacity building for journalists to better understand tax policy, public finance, and economic reform.
At URA, we have always valued an open and professional relationship with the media. We remain committed to timely, accurate, and responsive communication.
As part of our continuous improvement, we are enhancing our communication approach to deepen engagement and promote citizen participation. A recent example is the “Ask the URA Commissioner General” initiative, also known as “Buzza URA Komisona,” which we launched with selected media partners.
This platform invites Ugandans to engage directly with the leadership of URA, ask questions, and get clarity on tax matters that affect their daily lives. It is part of a larger effort to demystify taxation, promote transparency, and invite Ugandans to take ownership of their country’s revenue journey.
A call to responsible journalism
True partnership is grounded in integrity.
We ask that in your reporting, accuracy remains non-negotiable. That opinion is not passed off as fact. That economic policies are critiqued with evidence, not speculation. And that institutions are held accountable with fairness, not bias.
Every story you tell contributes to public perception. And perception shapes behavior. When reporting is rushed, inaccurate, or sensationalized, it does more than misinform. It undermines public trust. It distorts the social contract. And in our case, it directly affects tax morale and compliance.
That is why we value journalists not only as storytellers but as stewards of national integrity. Your role in shaping informed, rational discourse is critical to Uganda’s development and national cohesion.
To the finalists and winners tonight
Allow me to congratulate all the journalists being recognized this evening. You represent the best of what the profession can be – courageous, curious, committed to the public good.
Wear this recognition as both a badge of honour and a call to even greater purpose.
The Uganda we all want
As I conclude, Uganda stands at a crossroads. We are a young nation full of promise. God has blessed us with the resources, the talent, the ideas. What we need is collective resolve.
Journalists, tax administrators, policy makers, citizens and civil society, we are all builders of our home, Uganda. If we work together with integrity, patriotism and a shared vision, there is no doubt in my mind that we will leave this country better than we found it.
Let us use our platforms not to divide but to unite. Not to tear down, but to build. Not to lament, but to lead. May your words build bridges. May your stories awaken change. And may our shared efforts yield a Uganda that is just, prosperous, and truly self-reliant.
Thank you, and may God bless you all.
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