Calm is returning to the West Nile district of Yumbe after seven people were hospitalized, two with bullets wounds following Wednesday’s mayhem as UPDF soldiers deployed by Uganda Revenue Authority to impound numberless motorcycles.
But citing previous incidents, Yumbe chairman Taban Yasin accused URA officials of unleashing ujustified brutality on suspected tax evaders.
“This is why my people have become resistant and annoyed,” he told a local daily, adding: “Government should establish friendly policies of collecting taxes because people should not be killed or disabled when collecting tax.”
In 2009, two suspected smugglers were shot dead by URA Law Enforcement Officers in Koboko town. This also led to uprising where a police car was burnt by the locals who overpowered the policemen when they attacked the police station.
Consequently in 2010, also the URA enforcement officers also shot a suspected smuggler in Maracha town.
