Zombo District Rolls Out New Property Tax Rates

Zombo district authorities have embarked on mobilizing and sensitizing local residents on property rates ahead  of its roll out.

The move follows the approval of the property valuation roll, a legal document that consists of property information of all the registered properties by the district council.  

According to the approved property valuation roll, a total of 1,702 properties have been assessed and valued across the 15 sub counties and Town councils in the district to be taxed in the next five years.

Mustafa Ongom, the Zombo district secretary of finance, planning and administration said they project to collect over 4.9 billion shillings from property rates to expand the local revenue base for the district. 

According to Ongom the new property rate was made possible with support from the United Nations Capital Development Fund and Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) programme.

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Meanwhile, Saddiki Onencan, the chairperson of finance, planning and administration committee explains that approved 5 percent as the rateable value of a property following a thorough analysis of the income levels of the local community. He further noted that they have already commenced with the sensitization of taxpayers on the benefits of paying taxes promptly, as they move to roll out the property rate tax.

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Records from the finance, planning and administration committee Zombo district projected to collect shillings 1.2 billion in the 2022/2023 financial year, but managed to collect shillings 1.1 billion by June, 30, 2023 indicating a 92 per cent local revenue performance.

Section 3(1) of the Local Government Rating Act (LGRA) 2006, provides that every local government shall levy such rates as it may determine on the basis of the rateable value of any property within its jurisdiction.

Property rate tax which is payable by owners of property within a local government jurisdiction is normally based on the assessment of reteable value determined by a valuation surveyor approved under the laws of Uganda.