The Forum for Democratic Change has threatened legal action against a government proposal to give the Uganda Revenue Authority expanded access to individual and business bank accounts, citing concerns over financial privacy and potential damage to the banking system. Robert Centenary, the FDC vice chairperson, said the party would oppose the proposal in Parliament and pursue court action if the government proceeded. The warning follows remarks by State Minister for Finance Amos Lugoloobi to Parliament on October 15, in which he said the government would continue seeking approval for bank-account access for tax enforcement, despite MPs having rejected an earlier proposal.
The FDC is also demanding an independent investigation into the alleged sharing of citizens' National Identification Numbers and related personal data between the National Identification and Registration Authority and URA without consent. Centenary wants both agencies to disclose the legal basis for sharing the information, the records exchanged and safeguards against misuse. He questioned the legal authority under which NIRA released citizens' records to URA during a media briefing on October 12. Lugoloobi clarified that the proposed bank-account access is separate from the ongoing process of linking taxpayers' Tax Identification Numbers to their NINs, and that the linkage does not automatically grant URA access to bank accounts.
The FDC argues that any expansion of financial-record access must have clear legal safeguards and should not allow unrestricted scrutiny of citizens' finances. The party cites Article 27 of the Constitution, which protects privacy rights, and the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019. It also relies on a March 2023 Constitutional Court ruling in ABC Capital Bank and 30 Others v Attorney General and Another, which declared that blanket demands by URA for bank-account information violated account holders' right to privacy. However, the court's judgment did not prohibit all access to banking information for legitimate tax investigations under the law. Centenary stated that tax collection should not justify unrestricted access to private financial records, saying simply: "Paying tax is a duty for all citizens, privacy is a right."
The FDC further alleges that URA has accessed NIRA's national identification database and begun linking NINs to tax records without obtaining necessary consent. The party claims some taxpayers who have not updated their identification details have been denied access to URA's online services. By September 30, 2026, URA had linked 2,130,814 NINs to existing TINs out of 5,405,148 individual taxpayer records, representing about 39.4 per cent, according to figures presented to Parliament by Lugoloobi. The government says the integration is intended to eliminate duplicate taxpayer records, improve identification and strengthen tax administration.
Beyond privacy concerns, the FDC warns that broader access to bank records could discourage Ugandans from keeping money in formal financial institutions. Centenary argued that customers fearing government scrutiny of their finances could withdraw savings and keep cash at home, reducing deposits available to banks for lending to businesses and individuals. The party said in its briefing: "A bank only works when customers trust it." The FDC also cited banking charges, transaction restrictions and daily withdrawal limits as factors that could discourage formal saving. The party wants Parliament to reject blanket access to bank records and restrict disclosure to cases supported by account-holder consent or a court order directed at a named person on stated grounds.
The FDC has called on legislators across political parties, lawyers, banks and the public to oppose the proposal.