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Mobile data users have finally been hunted down by Uganda Revenue Authority ( URA ) in a move to tax internet users in the country.[9]
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URA officials argue that there has been a heavy drop in excise tax fetched from voice calls in the current statics as mobile phones users have resorted to making more internet calls.[5]
While appearing before the parliamentary finance committee headed by Rubanda west MP Henry Musasizi,[2] URA officials argued that there is no tax charged against mobile data usage yet there other services associated with it.
Henry Saka,[6] the commissioner domestic taxes said “This was a policy and issue and they were engaging the ministry of finance to see how soon they can implement this move” [9]since all other mobile services have faced taxes but its only Internet that has not been approached for example there is a 12 percent tax on mobile voice calls and a five percent for the fixed lines.[10] Value added services such as receiving a Ssenga tips or football fixtures faces a 20% tax fee.
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Similarly mobile money faces a 10 percent for both withdraws and sending.[1] In 2015 MTN Uganda received a 6. 7 percent year on year increase in active mobile financial services (MFS) as well an increase in mobile data users by 17. 4 percent contributing to total telecom revenue 28.3percent.[12]
The commission is also angry that some telecom companies are promising to double data of their users like MTN and Airtel, Smart telecom and Vodafone are also surviving on selling data.[9]
At least 12.9 million (37.4%) Ugandans are using internet,[8] with more than half of these using mobile phones, according to Uganda communications commission (UCC) 2015 report.
With such differences the commission is looking forward to taxing the mobile data users.[6]
Source: Howwe Bizz
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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)
