Lawyer Nicholas Opiyo has escalated scrutiny over the taxation of Speaker Anita Among’s Rolls-Royce Cullinan, calling for full disclosure of import and tax records and questioning the credibility of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioner General John Musinguzi.
The luxury vehicle, valued at about £440,000 (roughly Shs2.2 billion), has stirred public debate after reports indicated it was airlifted into Uganda through a UK-based firm and cleared under a tax arrangement reportedly worth about Shs1.2 billion.
The matter has since drawn attention to how high-value luxury imports are handled by tax authorities.
In a public statement, Opiyo directly challenged the URA leadership, citing past controversies involving the Commissioner General.
“The @URAuganda Commissioner General has been a false witness before a court of law in the past. Recall the Kizza Beaigye tape case? It is therefore unsurprising that there may be doubters about his claims regarding his Rolls-Royce tax bill,” he said.
He argued that only full publication of official documents could settle growing public doubts around the transaction.
“We can settle that right away, Mr. Commissioner. Make the tax liability payment schedule public. What is the period of payment for the UGX 1.2 bn tax liability? Who are the exporters and importers of the now-controversial vehicle?” Opiyo posed.
Opiyo further called for disclosure of all parties involved in the importation process, insisting that transparency was necessary to protect institutional credibility.
“Only transparency can save your and the institution’s reputation. An opaque system only perpetuates the doubts many have about you and the institution,” he added.
He also referenced what he described as previous unresolved concerns involving high-value consignments that had drawn public attention but limited official explanation, saying such patterns weaken public confidence in regulatory institutions.
The Rolls-Royce issue has remained in the spotlight after reports that the vehicle, reportedly a personal gift to Speaker Anita Among, was imported and cleared under a structured tax arrangement.
URA Commissioner General John Musinguzi has maintained that the tax liability stood at about Shs1.2 billion, stating that part of the amount had already been paid under an agreed schedule.
However, conflicting figures and limited publicly available documentation have fueled debate, with critics demanding clarity on how the valuation and tax assessment were reached.
Speaker Anita Among has maintained that the vehicle was received as a personal gift and not funded through public resources. The clarification, however, has done little to quiet public discussion around luxury ownership among senior public officials.