Displaying items by tag: Uganda Revenue Authority

Uganda: Cement manufacturers have lauded the Uganda Revenue Authority's enforcement of digital tax stamps, citing a significant reduction in counterfeit products in the local market. According to the Uganda National Bureau of Standards, counterfeit goods constitute 58% of the market, posing risks to both consumers and the economy.

Edina Agwata, Sales Manager at Simba Cement Uganda said “We have initiated a price reduction in the market, forcing our competitors to also drop their prices. We are focused on making cement affordable to every Ugandan so that they can build their dream home.”

Uganda: Authorities in Tororo district intercepted a counterfeit cement operation on 7 August 2024, seizing over 4t of cement. The joint operation by police, Uganda Revenue Authority, and the Resident District Commissioner’s office targeted a group involved in producing and selling counterfeit cement, which was packaged in branded bags of Simba Cement, Tororo Cement, and Hima Cement. The bust took place 5km from Tororo along the Tororo-Jinja highway. A truck carrying the counterfeit cement was impounded, and the driver was arrested.

Albert Amula, deputy resident district commissioner, highlighted the dangers of using substandard materials, linking them to building collapses, and called on contractors to only buy from licensed hardware stores. Cement manufacturers have called for stricter regulations to combat this illicit trade.

Uganda: The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has augmented its operations on the country’s eastern border with Kenya to prevent the smuggling of cement. The Daily Monitor newspaper previously reported “cheap illegal cement” was being imported by both large and small-scale traders via multiple uncontrolled border points. Kenya and Uganda share land border over 800km in length

Ibrahim Bbosa, a spokesperson for the URA, said “While there is legal trade with significant amounts of Kenyan cement entering Uganda through official customs points, there has been a worrying increase in the smuggling of brands such as Simba and Bamburi.” He added that smugglers were often using bicycles and motorcycles to move cement across the border before consolidating the shipments by truck within the country for further distribution.