The reasons for his suspension were not initially made public, leaving uncertainty about the specific allegations against him and the outcome of the investigations.
The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has sacked its Commissioner for Customs, Asadu Kigozi Kisitu, in a major shake-up at the tax collection body.
The development comes at a time when Kisitu is facing investigations and is currently out of office. By the time of filing this story, URA had not provided details explaining the circumstances surrounding his dismissal.
Kisitu’s sacking comes months after he was suspended from exercising his duties amid investigations and a protracted disciplinary process that raised questions about his future at the authority.
On April 30, 2026, URA suspended Kisitu, one of its most senior officials, pending investigations. He was subsequently placed on three months’ gardening leave from May 25 to August 27 as the process continued.
The reasons for his suspension were not initially made public, leaving uncertainty about the specific allegations against him and the outcome of the investigations.
In September, Kisitu reportedly challenged the manner in which the disciplinary proceedings were being handled, arguing that the process was irregular and lacked independence.
In a September 8 letter to URA board chairman Emmanuel Katongole, Kisitu raised concerns about alleged coercion and inducement of witnesses, failure to disclose material evidence and possible conflicts of interest in the disciplinary process.
He called for an independent investigation and a separate committee to handle the proceedings.
The URA board, however, maintained that it had the statutory authority to investigate and discipline senior officials. It also indicated that Kisitu should be furnished with the allegations and supporting evidence to enable him to respond.
Who is Asadu Kisitu?
Kisitu joined URA in 1999, having started his professional career as an insurance broker with First Insurance Limited in 1998.
According to a November 2025 profile published by the Daily Monitor, he had spent more than 25 years at the tax authority, rising through the ranks and serving in several customs-related departments.
His experience covered border management, customs valuation, warehousing, risk management and tariff classification.
Before becoming substantive Commissioner for Customs, he served as acting commissioner for more than a year.
He was also recognised for his experience in customs administration and held a master’s degree in Customs Administration.
During his tenure, Kisitu championed the modernisation of customs operations, including digital systems intended to improve cargo tracking, tax compliance and trade facilitation.
He also engaged customs clearing and forwarding agents in efforts to fight fraud, including false declarations, payment reference number fraud and other practices that undermine government revenue collection.
Customs department under scrutiny
Kisitu’s departure comes against the backdrop of growing scrutiny of customs operations at URA, particularly allegations of revenue leakages and corruption involving players in the clearing and forwarding industry.
In August 2026, clearing agent Timothy Segane, a director of Timways Logistics and Enterprises Limited, was arrested and charged over alleged tax evasion, false customs declarations, corruption and conspiracy to contravene customs laws.
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The case reportedly prompted investigators to examine possible links between the businessman and some URA officials.
However, no publicly established evidence had linked Kisitu to Segane’s alleged offences.
The disciplinary process against Kisitu also attracted attention following reports of disagreements over how the investigation was being conducted.
His dismissal marks a new chapter in the leadership of URA’s Customs Department, although the authority is yet to publicly explain the findings of the investigations or specify the grounds for terminating his employment.
More details will follow as they emerge.