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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | KCCA council has extended the tax list of property in Kampala central division for another one year.
The tax list also known as property rate list, was set 5 years ago, and expired on 30th June as the country was entering another financial year. Property rate valuations in the Kampala divisions is done in separate years, except for Makindye, Rubaga and Kawempe which are done the same year.
In a special council sitting whose agenda was to report on the property rates matter as well as review the cleaning services policy, chaired by the deputy speaker Nasur Masaaba, the executive committee reported on the status of property rates in the Kampala central urban division that was presented by John Mary Ssebuwufu, the executive secretary to finance where he requested for an extension of the rate regime for at least 6 months.
Ssebuwufu said that one of the reasons for the extension is the up to 650 objections raised by the different property owners. And the new valuation court which was inducted less than a month ago can not hear and conclude all these in the remaining time before the new financial year.
“According to sections 16 and 19 of the Local Government (rating) Act, this court is responsible for hearing and determining valuation objections,” he said. “Therefore it is not plausible and procedurally impractical to determine over 600 cases and produce a certified valuation list by 30th June 2022.”
In council, the motion to extend the list was moved by Solome Ssebina from Lubaga North, and seconded with amendment to 12 months instead of 6 by Francis Mbaziira, the councilor for Kampala central division, and Rose Kigozi Nalubwama from Lubaga South B.
Francis Mbaziira, says that the property rate issue is a sensitive one and most of his electorate have concerns, adding that it was prudent for the council to extend the current list, to give room for people’s concerns to be worked on, and to ensure equity and fairness in the list.
“The property rates policy has a lot of gaps which must be covered, and many property owners are not aware of what is going on, only to receive demand notices without any sensitization and this is unfair, and so we want to streamline the process for the good of all,” Mbaziira explains.
Property rates contribute more than 40 percent of KCCA’s total local revenue and increased from 7.7 billion shillings in the financial year 2011/12 to 37 billion.
The property rates to be paid are determined by certified values and the rate list is determined every five years or so as may be deemed necessary by the local government.
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