On 5th June 2026, my young brother, tribesman and teammate @GongodyoSidney at @piratesrugbyUG was murdered. Not killed in an accident or lost to illness but MURDERED by a mob in a cowardly, senseless, extra-judicial attack. I am furious and deeply, deeply disappointed in my fellow Ugandans.
Let us be clear about what happened. A group of goons and hooligans took it upon themselves to end an innocent human life with complete impunity. Do NOT call it mob justice, as calling it justice is to justify it! There is NO justice in what they did. No one, absolutely NO ONE, has the power or the right to take the life of another. LIFE is SACRED. What happened to Sydney was an act of TERRORISM.
Sydney was a young man with a promising future ahead of him. He had sights on one day Captaining his mighty club and the Nation. He was also a father to a young son whom he hoped to raise but all of that was stolen from him in the most brutal and senseless way. This was not just an attack on Sydney Gongodyo the individual, it was and still is an attack on Rugby, an attack on SPORT and every single one of us in this fraternity.
To his young family, I am so sorry. The pain you carry is one no family should ever have to bear. The loss of Sydney leaves an indelible mark, a wound that words cannot heal. He did not deserve this. He deserved to live, to play, to lead and become everything he was destined to be.
I therefore call upon @Educ_SportsUg@NCSUganda1@UgandaRugby and the entire Sports fraternity of Uganda to stand up and DEMAND JUSTICE for Sydney Gongodyo. This was an illegal killing carried out with the kind of impunity this Government came into Power to END so we cannot be SILENT.
Extra-judicial killings like this one do not just take a life, they take us back as a Country to some of our darkest times in history. Every Ugandan must take this personally because a mob has no criteria, so it could have been any of us and it can still be any of us.
The murderers must be identified, paraded publicly and have their case heard in an open mobile court, the same way Justice was delivered for the innocent Children who were brutally murdered by a one Okello Christopher Onyum in Ggaba. Let such elements be an example. Let it be known across Uganda that Acts of Terror disguised as Mob Action SHALL NOT BE TOLERATED. NOT NOW, NOT EVER!
This is not only about Sydney, this is for every Ugandan who has ever suffered at the hands of a mob, every family torn apart by extra-judicial violence and every life cut short before its TIME. We owe it to all of them to make sure Sydney's death is not in vain.
@KagutaMuseveni@JanetMuseveni@mkainerugaba@norbertmao@OgwangOgwang@KamuntuProf@MercyLakiskis
JUSTICE FOR SYDNEY GONGODYO!!❤️🏴☠️
#JusticeForSydney #Justice4Gongodyo #BlackPirates #UgandaRugby #EndMobattacks #Uganda
Common Mistakes in Tax Planning.
Tax planning is an essential part of managing personal and business finances. However, many people make avoidable mistakes that eventually lead to financial losses, penalties, or unnecessary tax burdens. Below are five of the most common tax planning mistakes and why they can become expensive over time.
1. Waiting Until the Last Minute
One of the biggest mistakes in tax planning is waiting until the end of the financial year to think about taxes. Effective tax planning should happen throughout the year, not only during filing season.
When taxpayers delay planning, they often miss opportunities to:
▪️Claim deductions
▪️Structure transactions properly
▪️Manage income timing
▪️ Reduce liabilities legally.
For example, with the financial year almost coming to an end (1st July,2025- 30th June,2026), many businesses and individuals are rushing to organize receipts, reconcile accounts, calculate expenses, and prepare returns at the last minute. In many cases, they discover too late that they failed to document deductible expenses properly, delayed important investments, or overlooked available tax-saving opportunities earlier in the year.
As the financial year draws closer to its end, this is a reminder for business owners, employers, entrepreneurs, and individual taxpayers to review their financial records, assess their tax positions, and seek professional guidance where necessary.
Early preparation not only helps avoid penalties and costly mistakes but also allows taxpayers to make informed financial decisions.
2. Poor Record Keeping
Missing receipts, invoices, bank statements, or expense records can create major problems during audits or tax reviews.
Without documentation, even legitimate business expenses may be denied as deductions.
Poor record keeping also makes it difficult to prepare accurate tax returns and monitor financial performance.
3. Mixing Personal and Business Finances
Many business owners use company funds for personal expenses or mix personal transactions with business accounts. This creates confusion in financial records and increases the risk of compliance issues.
When personal expenses are incorrectly treated as business deductions, tax authorities may:
▪️Reject deductions
▪️Impose penalties
▪️Trigger audits.
Maintaining separate accounts and clear financial records helps ensure transparency and proper tax reporting.
4. Aggressive Deduction Claims
Some taxpayers attempt to reduce taxes by claiming deductions that are weakly supported or not fully compliant with tax laws. Expenses related to travel, entertainment, vehicles, or home offices are often misused.
While aggressive deductions may provide short-term savings, they can later result in:
▪️Audits
▪️Interest charges
▪️Penalties
▪️ Reputational damage.
The safest tax strategies are usually those that are properly documented and legally defensible.
5. Ignoring Professional Advice
Tax laws are constantly changing, and many people make decisions based on assumptions or outdated information. Complex matters such as investments, business structures, international income, or property sales often require professional guidance.
Professional advice helps taxpayers make informed decisions while remaining compliant with the law.
Take away Point
Most expensive tax problems do not happen suddenly. They develop gradually through poor planning, weak documentation, and avoidable financial mistakes.
By staying organized, planning early, separating finances properly, and seeking professional guidance, individuals and businesses can reduce risk and improve long-term financial stability.
#TaxPlanning #BusinessStrategies #TaxLiteracyUg
In line with our vision of helping our clients achieve success through quality legal and business solutions, @SM_Co_Advocates together with @BDOUganda will be hosting a Tax Breakfast to prepare our clients for the tax amendments in FY 2026/2027.
🎙️ Episode 14 of the Tax Hub Podcast is dropping this Monday! 🔔
📢 An amazing team of Leading Tax practitioners joined in to demystify & breakdown the 2026 Tax Amendment Bills
✨The discussion centered around;
📍A comprehensive overview of the 8 proposed tax amendment bills.
As I wait for my leader Prof. Gava to come back from SA, I had the ultimate honor of having a coffee with Dr. Kirunda. Like wow! Some people are born to teach. Long live the DearYoungLawyerSeries for such priceless opportunities.
PS.
Please do tune into our upcoming space.😅
The tools used by tax administrators are bound to evolve to maximise efficiency.
Join @trey_ian & me on 13th April at 7:00 pm EAT as we have a conversation on the use of Artificial Intelligence in tax administration via X Spaces.
https://t.co/a4KJT3rXsq
They introduced Dr. CPA Tirisa Bonareri Caroline for 10 minutes. 👏
I stan a queen that opened my eyes and made me think outside the “LAW” box.
#Year6inTax#ICPAUExams