Abola’s reported departure follows that of Kisitu, who was suspended on April 30, 2026, pending investigations and subsequently placed on three months’ gardening leave from May 25 to August 27.
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has reportedly sacked two of its senior management officials, in a developing shake-up at the tax collection body that has claimed the positions of the Commissioner for Customs, Asadu Kigozi Kisitu, and Assistant Commissioner for Integrity, Compliance and Ethics, James Abola.
Although URA had not officially communicated the dismissals or explained the circumstances surrounding them by the time of filing this story, information available indicates that the two officials are no longer in their respective positions.
The latest reported departure is that of Abola, who headed the Integrity, Compliance and Ethics function, a department responsible for promoting accountability, professional conduct and ethical standards among URA employees.
His reported sacking comes shortly after that of Kisitu, whose departure was announced amid an ongoing disciplinary process and investigations that had kept him away from office.
The developments raise questions about what is happening within the authority’s top management, particularly at a time when URA is under pressure to strengthen accountability, address corruption and protect government revenue.
Who is James Abola?
Abola is a senior tax administrator who served as URA’s Assistant Commissioner in charge of Integrity, Compliance and Ethics.
His responsibilities included promoting ethical conduct among staff, addressing integrity concerns and strengthening internal mechanisms to combat corruption and other forms of misconduct.
He was also involved in public engagements aimed at promoting integrity in tax administration.
In November 2025, Abola represented Commissioner General John Musinguzi Rujoki at a Regional Integrity Forum in Lira, where he acknowledged that some URA employees exploit the tax system to defraud taxpayers through corruption, fraud and extortion.
He highlighted the need to strengthen ethical standards and accountability within the authority.
In URA’s September 2025 newsletter, Abola was quoted emphasising that integrity should be central to staff recruitment, promotions and performance assessments.
Sh100m court judgment against Abola
Abola’s name has also featured prominently in a recent High Court judgment arising from a workplace dispute involving a fellow URA employee.
On June 17, 2026, Justice Isaac Bonny Teko ordered Abola to pay fellow URA employee Nicholas Jjengo Sh100m in damages after finding him liable for defamation.
The case arose from messages Abola circulated on September 18, 2022, in the URA Senior Management WhatsApp group, alleging that Jjengo was linked to a shooting incident and a dispute involving a woman.
Jjengo sued, arguing that the allegations falsely portrayed him as a violent criminal and damaged his reputation among senior management.
In his ruling, Justice Teko found that Abola had circulated serious, unverified allegations despite having an opportunity to establish their accuracy.
The court awarded Jjengo Sh70m in general damages and Sh30m in exemplary damages. Abola was also ordered to issue a written apology on the same management WhatsApp platform and was permanently restrained from publishing similar defamatory allegations without proper verification and lawful justification.
The judge noted that although Abola had a responsibility to alert management about possible staff misconduct, that responsibility did not excuse the circulation of unverified and sensational allegations.
However, the court case was a civil defamation matter and should not be confused with a separate disciplinary action by URA. There is no publicly established evidence that the judgment directly triggered his reported dismissal.
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Two senior officials out
Abola’s reported departure follows that of Kisitu, who was suspended on April 30, 2026, pending investigations and subsequently placed on three months’ gardening leave from May 25 to August 27.
Kisitu later challenged aspects of the disciplinary process, raising concerns about alleged witness coercion, failure to disclose evidence and possible conflicts of interest.
He called for an independent investigation and a separate committee to handle the proceedings.
The two reported departures represent a significant development within URA’s senior management, although the authority is yet to issue an official statement detailing the changes, the reasons behind them or the outcome of the investigations.
This is a developing story. More details will follow as they emerge.