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This happened after the passing of the Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill 2021.
On Thursday, a bill to recall the need for Ugandans to pay shs200 daily as OTT tax so as to access social media platforms was passed. However, in the new bill passed, a new 12% Excise duty on data bundles came into effect.
This means that a 12% tax will be levied on all internet data bundles and it is reportedly meant for research, educational, and medical purposes.
Most Ugandans opposed OTT tax
Most people have opposed the OTT tax since its introduction in 2018. Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi in the same year led a section of Ugandans to protest against the tax. He said the tax went against the rights of citizens and therefore they should remove it.
Police later arrested him and arraigned him in court over the same but this didn’t stop him from advocating for the scrapping of the tax. Earlier this year, a civil organization named the Unwanted Witness urged the government to scrap off the tax.
‘’Individuals should be able to access, use, create, publish digital media through the use of ICT means because they have the digital human rights that are legal and therefore should be protected,’’ Dorothy Mukasa, the Executive Director of the Unwanted Witness said.
However, whether or not they told the government to remove the tax, or to just transform it, is anyone’s guess!
Check Also;
- The Return Of OTT Tax Not Exciting At All, Apparently
- Government May Soon Tax Your Cash Withdrawals From Banks
- Uganda Revenue Authority Releases 2021 Tax Evaders’ Shame List
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![[dropcap]A[/dropcap] section of women in Bugongo parish and Nawangaiza parish in Nawandala Sub County, Iganga District have decried the near-impossible terms set for them to access GROW funds. They have now petitioned their woman member of parliament for Iganga Hon. Kauma Sauda Alibaawo to ask the government for revised terms and conditions. This is to enable them to benefit from the program. The disgruntled women accuse the implementers of the program of charging the money. They are also asking for their land titles and land agreements. They said that such properties are governed by their husbands. These, therefore want the government through their woman MP to intervene and revise the requirements for one to benefit. The women were on Wednesday at Namabwere primary school in Nawandala Sub County. They had gathered in their respective groups to receive over 300 chickens from Hon Alibaawo in her campaign to improve the livelihood of women in Iganga district. Each group was given 50 chicken as start-up capital in their journey to prosperity. Read what some leaders said; Ms Naigambi Lydia from Nawandala Trading Centre says, “They solicited money from us through opening bank accounts and depositing Shs80,000. They also asked for land titles and land agreements from us yet we don’t have such things. I was informed that I needed to have a business with a capital of Shs4m yet my capital was very small.” The chairperson Kisoboka Saving Group in Nawandala Ms. Nakagolo Faith said they were not able to join the program. This is given the many conditions attached. She also asked their woman MP to raise their concerns to the relevant offices. The MP condemned the mode of implementation of the program. She cited that it has turned to benefit the well-off class of women other than the intended group. She further asked the government to intervene saying the current strings attached to the programme are very tight to accommodate a common woman. GROW project is a Government of Uganda initiative that arose out of the need to respond to the needs of women entrepreneurs. This is especially those who want to grow their businesses, sustain their self-employment and create more jobs. Check Also; Iganga District NRM Leaders Urge Museveni To Fulfill Election Promises Of 2021 International Women's Day: Celebrating Progress Towards Equality](https://i0.wp.com/newslexpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Iganga-women-decry-tough-terms-to-access-GROW-funds-e1731738339732.jpg?resize=300%2C160&ssl=1)
