{"id":9247,"date":"2026-10-08T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/govinfohub.go.ug\/?p=9247"},"modified":"2026-10-13T12:55:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T12:55:01","slug":"tayebwa-calls-for-tax-compliance-ethical-business-to-drive-ugandas-growth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/govinfohub.go.ug\/index.php\/2026\/10\/08\/tayebwa-calls-for-tax-compliance-ethical-business-to-drive-ugandas-growth\/","title":{"rendered":"Tayebwa Calls for Tax Compliance, Ethical Business to Drive Uganda\u2019s Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Walimbwa Moses<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has urged the business community to improve tax compliance and uphold ethical practices, saying Uganda needs a stronger private sector to support economic growth and national development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tayebwa made the remarks on Wednesday during the inaugural National Prayer Breakfast Business Forum at Parliament, where legislators and business leaders discussed the private sector\u2019s contribution to Uganda\u2019s development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said Government could raise more domestic revenue by bringing more individuals and businesses into the tax net instead of repeatedly introducing new taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow do you expect us to build more roads, generate more power and provide you with water, when we are still hovering around a tax-to-GDP ratio of 14 per cent, yet the sub-Saharan standard is at 17 per cent?\u201d Tayebwa asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that Uganda could raise its tax-to-GDP ratio to about 21 per cent if more taxpayers met their obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ministry of Finance has put Uganda\u2019s tax-to-GDP ratio at approximately 14.3 per cent and is pursuing stronger domestic revenue mobilisation to enable Government to finance more development programmes using locally generated resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finance Minister Henry Musasizi said on 5th October that Uganda needed to widen its tax base by bringing more taxpayers into the system rather than placing a heavier burden on those already paying taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tayebwa acknowledged that Government also had a responsibility to create conditions that enabled businesses to invest, expand and create jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Government does not create wealth. The Government creates conditions which will enable you, the business community, to create wealth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He urged business leaders to engage Parliament on policies and laws affecting their operations and called for fair competition across the private sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Deputy Speaker also challenged business owners to strengthen accountability within their companies, noting that corruption should not be treated as a problem affecting Government alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He urged companies to take action against employees who steal from their employers, warning that misconduct within the private sector could undermine businesses and the wider economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe way we handle cases of corruption by Government officials should be the same way we handle cases of corruption by people who frustrate the private sector,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tayebwa further encouraged entrepreneurs to look beyond profits and consider the jobs they create, taxes they pay, suppliers they support and services they provide to communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf the major aim of your business is to make money, then you\u2019re living on borrowed time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emmanuel Katongole, Executive Chairman of Quality Chemicals and Industries, who delivered the keynote address, also stressed the importance of integrity and responsibility in building sustainable businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProfit must never be the only purpose of a business, because an entity that makes impact is stronger than one that is premised on making money,\u201d Katongole said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He called for an environment that supports new businesses and provides affordable access to capital, noting the importance of creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to establish and grow their enterprises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tayebwa also encouraged established entrepreneurs to mentor young people and share their experiences with those starting businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMentor young people. Mentor other business people. One candle can light a thousand candles,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The forum brought together legislators and business leaders from Uganda and other countries, including Rwanda, Burundi, Nigeria, Tanzania, Germany, India and Cameroon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tayebwa\u2019s remarks underscored the shared responsibility of Government and the private sector in driving economic growth, with Government expected to provide a fair and supportive business environment while companies comply with tax laws, uphold ethical standards and contribute to national development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Walimbwa Moses Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has urged the business community to improve tax compliance and uphold ethical practices, saying Uganda needs a stronger private sector to support economic growth and national development. Tayebwa made the remarks on Wednesday during the inaugural National Prayer Breakfast Business Forum at Parliament, where legislators and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9248,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9247","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-government","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t