URA tightens EFRIS net on Gulu real estate dealers

GULU — Real estate dealers in Gulu are the latest targets of Uganda Revenue Authority’s drive to bring more taxpayers onto the amended Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS).
URA officials this week took the EFRIS message to the city’s real estate sector, helping newly eligible taxpayers get onboarded while refreshing the knowledge of those already using the system.
Muzamil Aluma, a URA Supervisor for Tax Education, said the changes to EFRIS were part of an evolving tax administration system that taxpayers must keep up with.
“Laws change over time and EFRIS is no different. We will take you through all the changes to make sure you use the system efficiently,” Aluma told the real estate dealers.
The engagement also exposed some of the challenges taxpayers face, particularly in configuring EFRIS and filing rental income returns.
Aluma explained that configuration enables taxpayers to accurately identify the nature of the services they provide.
“Configuration is you telling us what you deal in. In this case, you are providing a service in real estate,” he said.
He also urged landlords and real estate operators to properly record rental arrears, saying the information is important for both tax compliance and future return filing.
“Please endeavour to indicate that information for record-keeping and tax purposes. It will be useful when filing your return,” Aluma said.
To make the system easier to understand, URA officials conducted a live demonstration of EFRIS, taking participants through key steps and responding to questions on its use.
Catherine Ayubo, the Station Head of URA’s Gulu office, thanked taxpayers for paying their taxes and urged those struggling with the system to seek help rather than risk falling out of compliance.
“Don’t be stuck. If you haven’t understood something from here, come to the office. We will hand-hold you until you get how the system works,” Ayubo said.
The Gulu engagement is part of a wider URA taxpayer education campaign targeting the real estate sector.
Similar sensitisation and onboarding sessions are planned for landlords and real estate investors in Adjumani, Yumbe, Moyo and Arua.