By TV10 Investigative Desk
Welcome to this special report. Tonight, we expose a shocking scandal involving the Uganda Revenue Authority and a briefcase company called M/S Safaritech. Our investigative team has uncovered a trail of deceit and corruption that has left the taxman millions of shillings poorer.
According to our sources, URA entered into a contract with M/S Safaritech to provide consultancy services for the audit of telecom companies. The contract was worth a whopping Shs15.7 billion, with an additional 5% revenue share of new revenue recovered
But our investigation has revealed that M/S Safaritech is nothing more than a briefcase company, with no track record of providing such services. In fact, our sources indicate that the company was registered just days before the contract was signed.
Uganda Revenue Authority’s (URA) decision to partner with a foreign private consultancy firm, Safaritech Limited, has raised concerns about the potential misuse of personal information and data of telecom customers in Uganda. The contract, worth Shs15.7 billion, was signed on May 31, 2023, and includes a 5% revenue share of new revenue recovered by URA from the audit.
According to the Auditor General, Edward Akol, the consultancy services being conducted in Kenya pose a significant risk to the data protection provisions. The terms of reference for the contract include ensuring the reliability and completeness of revenues declared by telecom operators, establishing tax due, and knowledge transfer to 15 URA staff telecom auditors.
The entire contract amount was paid by September 2023, which has raised questions about the urgency and necessity of the partnership. More concerning is the fact that the data sets transmitted to Safaritech Limited include personal information that may be misused.
This development highlights the importance of data protection and the need for organizations to prioritize the security and confidentiality of personal information. As consumers become increasingly wary of sharing their personal data, organizations must demonstrate transparency and accountability in their handling of sensitive information.
In this case, URA’s decision to partner with a foreign consultancy firm has raised concerns about the potential risks to data protection. It is essential for URA to provide assurances about the measures they have put in place to protect personal information and data shared with Safaritech Limited.
