National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine claims tax collector Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has ordered him to pay Shs337m in additional taxes for his bulletproof car is part of a plan by the State to persecute him.
On April 22, URA Commissioner for Customs Abel Kagumire informed Bobi Wine’s a reevaluation of the car in question had confirmed it was bulletproof.
The tax collector ordered Bobi Wine to pay more in taxes.
Bobi Wine termed Kagumire’s order as ‘persecution” channeled through “yet another shameful move.”
“All public institutions are personalised by Gen. Museveni who does with them whatsoever he pleases. As I have consistently said, when you take on Museveni, you have taken on all government institutions and they will gang up against you,” he recalled.
He insists “the vehicle came into the country legally and was cleared by all relevant agencies.”
“The vehicle was taken to the Directorate of Interpol in Kololo and they cleared it. It was then taken to the forensics department of police in Naguru, and they too cleared it. Then we took it to URA and they did their own independent verification and levied the relevant tax which we paid.”
The singer-turned-politician also claimed the clearance process had initially been easier because aithorities were not aware the vehicle was his.
“The reason we did all this very easily was because my name hadn’t come into the picture. For several months, they did not raise any issue. Indeed, if the car belonged to any other citizen, there wouldn’t be any issue,” he went on.
“It was only when we transferred the car into my name that they began looking for fault and did not find any. At first they claimed that armoured vehicles require clearance by the Ministry of Defence. But there was no law to back their outrageous claim. That is how they said it was undervalued.”
He also made allegations on the punishments meted on URA officials who failed to block the vehicle.
“We understand they quickly moved and sacked, demoted or persecuted all URA, Interpol and Police staff who did their job and cleared this vehicle,” he claimed.
“For no reason whatsoever, they punished them for not knowing that the car would end up in Bobi Wine’s name! Others were summoned by CMI for interrogation!”
Kenyan businessman who sold Bobi Wine bulletproof car finally speaks out
So countrymen and women, this is where we are.
