There has been a heavy deployment of security both in police uniforms and military wear in the places where the legislator is expected to pass most especially along Entebbe road in areas near the national airport.

Some of the major outlets even the ones on the Entebbe express highway have been blocked while other have police checks.

Bobi Wine announced his home coming on Monday and revealed that he will be in Uganda on Thursday from U.S.A where he had gone for specialized treatment after alleged police torture.

However police yesterday warned against violating the Public Order Management act sighting that police had not yet received any information that Kyagulanyi will convene a procession.

Mr. Emilian Kayima, the Police spokesperson, yesterday said the police will be available to escort Bobi Wine on arrival to his  home in Gayaza to ensure peace.

“He [Bobi Wine] will only be received by his close family members at the airport after; he will be escorted to his home. There will be no rallies,” Kayima said.

However, the legislator had declined the offer saying that He knows where his home is located and prefers his friends welcoming him at the airport to police.

The post Security tightened ahead of Bobiwine home coming first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The ruling which saw 5 judges of the Constitutional Court deliver separate judgments at the Mbale High Court denounced the increase of term of office of the current parliament to 7 years.

It remains to be seen how the Judiciary will react to this scathing attack from the President given the status of their already strained working relationship of late since the Judiciary threatened to lay down their tools over Government’s plan to beef up security of Parliament members with armored vehicles and sharp shooters. Below is the full statement from the President.

President Museveni’s Response to the Age Limit Ruling by Eddie on Scribd

The post President Museveni’s response to Age-Limit ruling first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Socila media graphic -Internet Photo

According to the Uganda minister of information and communication technology, Frank Tumwebaze, the mobile money tax is to be reduced from 1 to 0.5 percent charged on only withdrawals but the 200 shillings daily tax levied on social media users per day will not be tampered with.

However, the mobile money tax will not apply to utility transfers like paying water, electricity and school fees and the Over The Top (OTT) tax will be charged on social platforms like Whatsapp, Facebook, and Twitter but not on emails and google searches.

Several demonstrations were staged by the public and various activists across Uganda especially in the Kampala capital to show dissatisfaction towards the tax.

On July 7, 2018, Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobiwine launched a campaign dubbed “This tax must go” and he called upon all Ugandans to stand together in the bid to scrap off the tax. Unfortunately, the arrests that ensued maybe fruitless due to the cabinent’s decision.

David Bahati, Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development put forth that government’s target is to collect an annual amount of about 32 million U.S. dollars from the 10 million social media users in Uganda.

“We want to get more options so that you can pay the social media tax quarterly or annually instead of the daily, weekly and monthly subscriptions,” Bahati said (The Observer, July 17, 2018).

ALSO READ: Singer Melody accused of theft

ALSO READ: Parliament won’t interfere in mobile money and social media taxes – Kadaga

The post Social media tax here to stay, government first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Following the end of the term of the administration of the general court martial, the president re-appointed Lt General Andrew Gutti as the chairman of the general court martial.

He was sworn in yesterday on 9^th/July/2018 alongside five new members appointed to the army court, and this marked the commencement of another one year term after the court has been in recess awaiting for the administration to swear in.

Lt General Andrew Gutti swearing in

While swearing in, the group vowed to try all matters and administer justice based on evidence without partiality, favour or affection, and also swore by the principle of non-disclose of opinions of the members of the panel as required by the law.

Now the court has already started to hear old cases, issuing of warrants to suspects among others.

Lt General Andrew Gutti’s name is soon expected to dominate the airwaves and papers as he heads the hearing of the top cases including that of General Kale Kayihura who has now been into detention for three weeks, however reasons for his arrest are not yet clear to the public.

READ ALSO:

CCEDU suspended, as LC 1 elections to be conducted by lining up

Purple party rocks Mbarara fans

The post General court martial duties resumed first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The groups presented their petitions while meeting the Speaker

He called on the Speaker to call for revision of the tax to favour students across the country.
Kadaga said that the Act and its particulars will be studied before it is debated for any further amendment saying, “What you are speaking to is right of access to information which is not only under the constitution but we have a law which requires the Government to facilitate access”.
The group also noted that mobile money in rural areas was being used as a banking system especially to pay tuition fees but the excise duty on the service was affecting such payments.
“Last week, my parents sent me shs1 million for tuition; on withdraw from mobile money, I got only shs948,000. The agents told me that the rest was tax on mobile money transactions,” Owiny said.
Kadaga added that she would present the issue before the House when it resumes sittings on Wednesday, 11 July 2018.
“I will speak to the House on Wednesday about this matter so that we can start a review on this duty. You will hear from us after that,” Kadaga added.
The mobile-money vendors represented by Boaz Byamukama noted that the proposed 0.5 per cent would have negative effects on revenues expected to be collected by Government.
“A transaction of shs2 million costs shs21,800, but with the introduction of the 0.5 percent tax, the cost would go to shs51,521 which indicates an increment of shs29,721,” Byamukama said.
He noted that the increment would continue to discourage the public from seeking the services of mobile money vendors countrywide, suggesting that Government ought to charge the tax indirectly so that the customer, “should not feel the pinch.”
In this regard, Kadaga promised to pick up the proposals by the group on alternative sources of raising revenue.

READ ALSO:

Purple party rocks Mbarara fans

President launches National Physical activity Day

The post Students, vendors ask Speaker to revisit new taxes first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The MPs who include the MP for Ntungamo Municipality Gerald Karuhanga, Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu known as Bobi wine, Bugabula South MP Henry Kibalya and Soroti Municipality MP Herbert Ariko have started signing the petition that require 150 MPs to recall  parliament from recess and overturn the taxes on Social Media and Mobile Money.

Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu among the members who have started signing the petition that require 150 MPs to recall  parliament from recess and overturn the taxes on Social Media and Mobile Money. File Photo

On Sunday the government started collecting one percent on every transaction on mobile money and 200 daily levy from all people that access social media platforms but ever since they were effected many Ugandans have been opposing it.

 The Member of Parliament said that they want this tax adjusted after hearing public outcry, adding that this tax was imposed before carrying out through investigations and analysis. He said that this tax will affect students and parents paying school fees.

The member of parliament for Kyadondo East Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu said that they have options which will be used to resist this tax ,if the government fails to listen to public outcry .

The Soroti municipality mp Herbert Ariko said that the tax has suppressed the public and there is need to make the revision in the law.

READ ALSO:

President Museveni reduces mobile money tax to 0.5%, insists on social media tax

Refugee law project donates vehicles to Uganda Police

The post MPs to petition Social Media and Mobile Money taxes acts first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

It also requires licensed persons in the business of casinos, lotteries and gaming  to furnish weekly and monthly returns in order to manage risk as payouts are done on a daily basis.

It further states that taxes owed by government to Uganda Revenue Authority will be waved as at 30th June 20l8 except withholding tax. Government makes commitments to pay taxes on behalf of some taxpayers in strategic sectors through agreements, memorandum of understanding or commitment letters.

However, Members of parliament were furious over the report that some small business entities are charged unfairly compared to investors who are given tax holidays at the expense of small business holders.

The chairperson of the Finance Committee, Henry Musasizi, told parliament that the Uganda Revenue Authority is supposed to carry out an assessment on the returns and confirm the tax to be paid within a year but it has been a practice of URA not to conduct an assessment within a year, which has affected tax payers as URA conducts the assessment after several years of filing returns but imposes interest on the tax payer from the time of filling returns.

ALSO READ: Speaker Kadaga urges parents not marry off their daughters when young

However, Members of parliament were furious over the report that some small business entities are charged unfairly compared to investors who are given tax holidays at the expense of small business holders.

Bahati argued  that all Value Added Tax  payers should acquire tax machines and cash registers. Government should not pay taxes on behalf of persons who have not earned incomes.

The chairperson of the finance committee Henry Musasizi said that all matters concerning tax returns be filed every financial year but not all business entities most especially small businesses should be charged unfairly.

MPS Merdad Ssegoona Patrick Nsamba,Wilfred Niwagaba  Amos Lugolobi .Col .Fred Mwesigye and James kakooza demand that a company that has made a profit should pay it’s taxes. Any agreements that government has made to exempt companies making profits from paying taxes should be declared nullified.

They said that there should be proper criteria of handling tax exemption which are mostly benefited by foreigners.

Kabula county Mp James  kakoza James said that profit making companies that  owe the state a tax ,must be pay . He added that the excuse that charging them a tax will chase investors is a lie and must be rejected.

The minister of state for planning David Bahati argued that all Value Added Tax payers should acquire tax machines and cash registers. Government should not pay taxes on behalf of persons who have not earned incomes.

The Ministry of finance has been exempting entities from paying taxes without Parliament approval.

The post Parliament passes the Tax procedures Code Amendment Bill 2018 first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

The parliamentary committee on public service and local government recommended to parliament a bill known as the Public Service Fund Bill to enable government contribute a certain percentage of money to each public servant to have his or her pension cleared at the time of retirement to eliminate the issues related to pension arrears.

The Member of Parliament for Mityana district, Judith Nabakooba said that she will support such a bill once it is before parliament to have a solution to clearing pension accumulation.

She noted that if such a law was in place about 70,000 veterans could have not demanding pension arrears by now.

The Member of Parliament for Mawokota South, John Bosco Lubyayi Seguya said that this bill in offing will be good to stop retired civil servants in villages suffering while looking for their pension.

He however said the bill should be with a clause guiding the retired civil servants on how to spend such pension money.

He said that such funds should be given to pensioners in phases to avoid them investing it in projects that will make them losses and go back to zero.

The Member of Parliament for Lira district Joy Atim Ongom said that this is a good initiative of government contributing to a pensioners saving but is worried of government officials diverting such funds for their selfish interest.

ALSO READ: Members of parliament oppose new taxes introduced by government

RELATED: Kadaga orders Gen. Tumwine to vacate nnomo gallery

The post Pensioners to receive pension at time of retirement, reads proposed bill first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Last month, the bill that seeks to provide a regulatory framework that facilitates the safe development and application of biotechnology, research, development and release of genetically modified organisms was returned to parliament by the President Museveni without signing it into law.

RELATED: MPS vow to block GMO bill if re-tabled before parliament

But now the committee of science and technology was tasked to reconsider the bill within 14 days and give parliament a report on the 30th of this month expresses fear that the without this law Ugandans are being exposed to dangers of the unregulated genetically modified organisms.

The committee chairperson and also Nakifuma County MP Robert Kafeero Ssekitoleko explain that the having a law regulating GMOs is long overdue and its absence put the lives of Ugandans at risk.

Ssekitoleko says that members of the committee are likely to meet with the President next week to address several issues that he is not comfortable with, in the seven clauses of the bill before he signs it into law.

VIDEO: Biotechnology: Why Uganda needs a bio-safety law

The post MPs warn on continued delay in signing GMO bill into law first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Members of Parliament have unanimously supported the Motion to grant leave to Hon. Paul Akamba (in photo above ) to introduce a private member’s Bill on Patient’s Rights and Responsibilities.

Parliament has granted permission to Busiki county MP, Paul Akamba to table the patients’ rights and responsibility bill that is intended to help patients’ access health care with their rights fully observed. The motion was seconded by Kigulu south MP, Andrew Kaluya

Akamba told parliament that access to medical care is a right however many times poor patients are detained for failure to pay hospital bills which is a gross violation of their rights and liberty.

ALSO READ:Report:Government should support education in hard to reach areas

He says that if the patients’ rights and responsibility bill becomes a law this will go a long way in addressing the challenge.

However state minister for heath general duties, Sarah Opendi says that government is not comfortable with the bill because it has a serious financial implication and Uganda has clients charter which addresses the challenges of the patients. However the deputy speaker Jacob Oulanya ruled the motion should pass since it does not violate the constitution.

The legal officer Uganda national health users consumers Moses Talibita says that more often the rights of patients and liberty are abused and the law is needed to protect them

ALSO READ:PAC wants finance minister Kasaija, sacked

The post Parliament grants Hon Akamba leave, to table a private members bill first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.