The online campaign gained momentum after journalist Sudhir Byarunhanga publicly challenged the arrangement, asking why URA was permitted to occupy the pavement when roadside structures used by small-scale traders had been cleared.
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The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has finally bowed to pressure and removed its temporary container office from a pavement in Kampala’s city centre following mounting criticism from the public on social media.
The container, located in the busy commercial area of Kikuubo, became the subject of heated debate after the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), working alongside police, evicted street vendors, boda boda riders and taxi operators who were operating in undesignated areas last week.
As images of the enforcement operations circulated online, many social media users questioned why informal traders were being removed from pavements while a government tax body continued to operate from a structure placed on a public walkway.
The online campaign gained momentum after journalist Sudhir Byarunhanga publicly challenged the arrangement, asking why URA was permitted to occupy the pavement when roadside structures used by small-scale traders had been cleared. He argued that the tax authority had the financial capacity to rent space in nearby commercial buildings instead of setting up on a pedestrian path.
Initially, URA defended the container, saying it was intended to provide free taxpayer support services and make assistance more accessible to the business community in the central business district. However, the criticism persisted—particularly on X—where users framed the issue as one of fairness and equal enforcement of city regulations.
At the height of the controversy, the URA Commissioner General John Rujoki Musinguzi confirmed that the container would be removed.
He stated that the temporary office had served its purpose and would be taken away by the close of business on 23 February 2026.
Traders gathered early Monday to witness the removal of URA’s container office, insisting that enforcement of city regulations must apply equally to all, regardless of status.
URA further announced that taxpayer support services would continue at its new Taxpayer Support Centre located on the ground floor of Pearl Towers along Kintante Road, as the authority works toward establishing a more permanent office closer to the central business district.
The decision marks a rare instance where sustained online pressure has directly influenced a public institution’s action, underscoring the growing role of digital platforms in shaping civic accountability in Uganda.
