Wakiso authorities list 80,000 buildings targeted for property tax

Wakiso District authorities have listed over 80,000 buildings which are targeted for property tax.
The buildings listed range from commercial buildings to hotels and recreation parks, among others that were evaluated and valued in the recently concluded valuation exercise.

The district principal financing officer, Mr David Kabaale, said they had suspended collection of property tax as a result of Covid-19 effects on the economy but  the new valuation roll indicates that the tax will be levied on properties located in the sub counties of Wakiso , Mmende, Kakiri, Bbussi, Namayumba, and Masuulita.

“Following the suspension of property tax by the President due to Covid-19, the district has not been collecting property tax from the sub counties for the past two fiscal years since 2019/2020. But we have resumed the exercise following the approval by the Ministry of Local Government and the exercise has resumed this financial year,” he said in an interview on September 25.  

He said   although the council had anticipated to raise Shs3 billion from property tax this financial year, the valuation roll has given them hope that they will collect more since there are new taxable buildings which have been erected in the district. This financial year the district expects to collect Shs3.6 billion in property tax, according to Mr Kabaale
In the 2022/2023 fiscal year, the district had projected to collect Shs3.2 billion but only Sh3 billion was realized.

“We expect to collect more money because some town councils have revalued properties and there are new buildings which have been built and the proprietors have increased rent,” he said
Mr Kabaale said due to mushrooming new structures and increase of rent fees in some town councils, the property tax rate has increased by 8 percent from 4 percent charged in the last financial year in most of the town councils in the district.

“We are now charging 8 percent and those with complaints can come to us and we will explain how we arrived at that figure,” he added.    
     
Mr Vincent Kasozi Muwonge, the chairperson of Wakiso Traders and a property owner said they’re stunned that even uncompleted buildings are taxed.
"They [district officials] start taxing the structure when it's still on the foundation level and they will come back to demand for that money when the building is complete. Let them follow the law governing property tax," he said. 

On top of collecting property tax, Mr Kasozi claimed that the tax collectors also impose tax on the rent fees collected by property owners.
"I usually see them [property tax collectors] pulling ropes with widows and their children which is not right. They lock up their houses instead of negotiating with them ." he added 
Ms Josephine Nabaggala Kafeero, the Nansana Municipality deputy town clerk said they have a valuation law which they follow when making a valuation of the buildings.

“They follow procedures to rate the structure basing on the location and the size. We also hold consultative meetings right from the village level and it's from the decisions that come out of those meetings that we follow when using the property tax funds,” she said.