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Parliament yesterday passed the Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2023. This bill intends to make every Ugandan to part with taxes of Shs75 on every litre of bottled water once the new tax legislation comes into effect. This is in addition to the current provision of 10 percent levy. According to the State Minister of Finance in charge of Planning, Mr Amos Lugoloobi, this is meant to close out possibilities of under-declaration by some manufacturers in the water industry.
Under the new tax plans, all diapers whether for adults or children will subject to tax by the government. In passing of the Value Added Tax Amendment Bill 2023, Parliament threw out the government’s initial plan. This was to exempt adult diapers from being taxed.
Before this proposal was thrown out, the Finance Committee Vice Chairperson, Ms Jane Pacutho, said: “As a Committee, we feel that there are a few categories of older persons, who use diapers and they are really for medical use. No adult person will really use diapers and therefore, we should limit this exemption to only adults. When we allow even for adults, so many people are going to use this and yet they are non-degradable.”
This was, however, objected by the shadow Minister for Finance, Mr Muwanga Kivumbi, who reasoned: “It defeats logic to rule that only adult diapers are treated as medical goods but not all diapers. We are aware that even children suffer from diarrhea and for medical reasons, they need diapers. So you can’t say diapers are an exclusive need for only adults.”
A section of legislators feared that exempting adult diapers from taxation would benefit homosexuals.
Parliament later resolved to tax all diapers. Similarly, lawmakers rejected a committee report that sought to impose a 0.5 percent tax on every bank transaction such as withdrawal of cash. This is after Speaker Anita Among discovered that they had not subjected the proposal to discussion. Especially from the requisite stakeholders such as those in the banking sector.
“Can you give me more clarity on how it smuggled itself into the Committee? Did you interact with the stakeholder and which stakeholders did you interact with? I am saying did you interact with the regulator, with bankers’ association, and regulator meaning Bank of Uganda?” Ms Among inquired.
By press time, plenary was still in session and had so far handled the Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2023. The Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Tax Procedures Code Amendment Bill, 2023.
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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)
