The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioner of Customs, Abel Kagumire, has assured traders that the new clearance guide lines will not delay the clearing of their goods, as anticipated.
Kagumire made these remarks while meeting with the traders on November 2, 2023, at the Oceanic Bus terminal in Kampala, stating that all goods must go through the Document Processing Centre (DPC) before clearance.
“The only difference will be that the valuation officer will sit at the DPC, working on your clearance, rather than directly interacting with clients. The bus terminal will continue to function as usual,” Kagumire said.
However, the traders expressed concern over the directive being issued without consulting them.
They requested a grace period of three months before effecting the changes.
Victoria Nabitaka Mukumbi, the assistant commissioner for field services, encouraged the traders to welcome the changes, as they are meant to streamline better services.
“We shall ensure that we facilitate you faster as we streamline the valuation process. The new adjustments will make us, as customs, serve you better,” Makumbi said.
URA instituted new measures for goods going through DPC before clearance, following a report outlining revenue losses registered at bus terminals, which were a result of a lack of a streamlined process.
The Document Processing Centre (DPC) handles the customs formalities and releases the declaration for further clearance at the port.
