Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has become the first organisation in Uganda to introduce Braille Technology for visually impaired persons.
This is in line with URA’s overarching strategy that seeks to “Promote a taxpaying culture through engaged citizenry, productive partnerships, leveraging technology, data and innovative staff.”
The URA Tax Education Strategy (FY 2020-25) drawn in line with the strategy focuses on several segments, among which Visually Impaired taxpayers form a continuum of taxpayers that need special attention. These, for so long, have been fenced out in the design of information access, policies and literature.
In reaching out to the visually impaired taxpayers, during the launch of the braille technology yesterday, John Musinguzi the Commissioner General said, URA said it is justifiable to use available opportunities and capacities so that the clients under this category do not feel left out. The rationale of this inclusive tax education strategy leans on the provisions of the Equal Opportunities Commission Act, 2007.
He noted that URA seeks to build capacity among this special category of taxpayers by customising tax education content to ease access to information. The technology targets taxpayers who are visually impaired but with the ability to read, write/type and understand braille system.
Letters to My Younger Self: Robinah Siima — “Success Is Quieter, But Richer”“The rationale of introducing braille technology in tax education is to simplify tax education and make it available for everyone regardless of their physical and health status” said the URA Commissioner General
He added that this is to make special clients understand their rights and obligations as taxpayers.
“As stated in the URA Client Service Charter, the technology will enable visually impaired taxpayers understand URA services, products, processes and procedures summarised in the transcribed starter packs.This is a new area that URA had not yet ventured into yet it is also important in Developing Uganda Together . It should be noted that URA is an organization that does not discriminate against its clients,” He concluded.
