UGANDA, Masaka | Real Muloodi News | New members of the city’s valuation court have been approved by Masaka City to hear cases involving property rates.
Three people make up the new valuation court, with senior attorney Mathias Nyanzi Yawe serving as chair. Others include Mr Aloysius Bbale Mugera, an engineer, and Ms Irene Nakate, a teacher at St. Bruno Primary School in Masaka.
On Wednesday, September 28, 2022, the trio received approval in a council meeting presided by Masaka City Speaker Mr Tonny Ssempijja.
A magistrate’s court-like authority exists in the city valuation court. It is in charge of collecting complaints from anyone who feels wronged by the city authorities’ property rates tax assessments.
Its rulings are only subject to appeal by the High Court. It is required to make decisions about reviews of the values as well as to declare tax exemptions when it deems them essential.
The valuation court approval motion was proposed by Mr Achilles Mawanda, the Deputy Mayor of Masaka City, and seconded by Mr Rogers Buregeya, the Youth Councillor.
Mr Mawanda informed the council that they could not wait much longer to form the valuation court since the newly issued valuation roll for the city was being issued by the hired company, Knight Frank Uganda Ltd.
“Property rates is one of the significant sources of revenue in the city and anything that may distract or hinder its collection has to be addressed with urgency and the move to have the court handle any dispute that would rise from the property rates in time was vital,” he said.
Before beginning to issue new property rates assessments, Masaka City contracted Knight Frank Uganda Ltd in April to undertake an evaluation and valuation of properties in the city.
Masaka last performed a property valuation in 2014, before it was upgraded to a city.
After receiving multiple complaints about what they deemed to be excessive property rates levies, the valuation court, which was presided over by Mr John Matovu, ordered the city council officials to reduce the property rates from 8% to 5%.
The Masaka Municipality at the time had about 4,452 structures that were eligible to pay property rates tax, according to the 2014 property assessment report, however, it is anticipated that this figure has increased by a factor of two over time.
In the previous five years, at least 15 new commercial centres, including plazas, hotels, and sports and leisure parks, have been built nearby, according to a quick assessment of the city.
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