{UAH} Bobi Wine’s NUP rejects proposed tax measures

By Derrick Wandera

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Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party leaders have rejected the  proposed taxes and accused the government of being insensitive to the plight of those suffering as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.  

Addressing the media at their head office on Tuesday, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, the NUP spokesperson, said they want government to account for all revenues collected from the existing  tax measures.  

"It is not that we are against taxation, what we need to know is how this money is being used. In other countries like the US, deductions on people's salaries can go to as high as 50 per cent but as long as they are sure that when they go to hospitals, they will find medicine," Mr Ssenyonyi said.

"In  Uganda,  people get taxed regardless of their financial stand,  but the money is stolen by just a few people in government. When you look at the classified budget and funds allocated to State House, if this money is well prioritised it can serve a very big purpose," he added.

Last week, the government proposed to scrap the widely-opposed Over-The-Top (OTT) tax for social media access  but introduce a tax on Internet bundles, exports of processed gold, unprocessed minerals, wheat, leaf tobacco, fish maw and milling by-products.

Finance minister  Matia Kasaija has also proposed to introduce a compulsory annual motor vehicle tax of Shs200,000.
 Under the proposed revenue measures, Ugandans with motorcycles will also pay Shs50,000 annually.  However, MPs have since rejected some of the proposed taxes.
 
The Tax Amendment Bills tabled  include Excise Duty Amendment Bill, 2021; Fish Amendment Bill, 2021; External Trade Amendment Bill, 2021; Income Tax Amendment Bill, 2021; Mining Amendment Bill, 2021; Stamp Duty Amendment Bill, 2021; and, Tax Appeals Tribunal Amendment Bill, 2021.

Others are Tax Procedures Code Amendment Bill, 2021; Tobacco Control Amendment Bill, 2021, Traffic and Road Safety Amendment Bill, 2021; and, Value Added Tax Amendment Bill, 2021.

When the Bills were presented in Parliament, MPs voted against the proposed taxes on rent and land transactions. The move by government to charge each commercial building separately also suffered a stillbirth after the lawmakers rejected the raft of tax measures.

Mr David Lewis Rubongoya, the NUP secretary general,  said it was not wise of the government to propose taxes on a population majority of whom are struggling to put a meal on the table on account of the pandemic.

"The population is already pressed financially and government should consider reallocating the funds to some sectors that do not directly impact the economy and channel them  into improving agriculture, industrialisation and the mineral sector," Mr Rubongoya said.
Meanwhile, at the same event Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake  narrated his journey to recovery.  

"I suffered a lot of pain in my legs and eyes. Most doctors in this country told me that I would be disabled for life. But I would like to thank all people who contributed towards my medical bills abroad where special orthopedics and opticians managed to make me walk and see again," Mr Zaake said.    

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

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"When a man is stung by a bee, he doesn't set off to destroy all beehives"

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