Hon. Kasaija first denied the allegations but later on he made an apology. “In my address, I never meant to say that Parliament passed 1% tax in error. I can’t come and fault and say that Parliament that acted in error, I couldn’t do that. I am part of this Parliament; I would have shot myself in the foot.” He added on saying “I apologize sincerely. I did apologize to the caucus yesterday. I never meant to say that Parliament passed the Act in error.”

However, Winnie Kiiza leader of opposition demanded that Hon.Kasaija submits a written statement of his apology. “I find it uncomforting that the apology that was demanded of the Minister is taken casually and yet it is affecting a serious matter because the integrity at Parliament is at stake, Ugandans will not believe it anymore.” She demanded.

Also read:

•  Uganda is not quitting ICC –Kadaga
• Nakaseke MP decries shortage of ARVs in district

The post Minister of finance apologises to parliament first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

A group of MPs headed by Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Kyagulanyi Sentamu Robert alias Bobi wine, escorted by multitudes of people (mostly boda bodas), have today matched from the Parliament heading to the Central Police Station (CPS)

 This follows a protest dubbed, “This tax must go” led by Bobi wine last week, with an intention of expressing their discontent of the daily 200 shillings on social media, known as OTT and the 0.5% on mobile money transactions that latter turned into chaos and left several police officers assaulted.

Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) being escorted by fellow opposition MPs to CPS

Police after summoned Bobi Wine, to answer these charges of illegal assembly and theft of police handcuffs. The letter which was signed by the officer in charge of Criminal Investigations, Kampala Central Police Station (CPS), Joshua Tusingwire required Kyagulanyi to appear at CPS today at 9am.

According to the Kampala metropolitan police spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire, the letter was meant to inform the speaker that Kyagulanyi is a wanted man to give police more details of what happened that day. 

Bobi Wine (2nd left) with fellow protestors last week

Kyagulanyi is alleged to have spearheaded the protests which have since been classified as an illegal assembly by the police force. It is also alleged that during the protest, the Divisional Police Commander (DPC) CPS Kampala, Joseph Bakaleke was assaulted and his handcuffs stolen.

On that day, three suspected protestors identified as David Luke, Katongole Julius and Nyanzi Ssentamu were arrested and have since been charged at Buganda Road Magistrate court on charges of holding an illegal assembly among others.

Kyagulanyi’s body guard known as Eddy Mutwe was also arrested over related charges and has been in police custody on tentative charges of assault and theft of handcuffs.

READ ALSO:

Parliament moves to better primary schools’ infrastructure

Bryan White’s car confiscated over 500 million debt

The post Tension as Bobi Wine reports at CPS first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

According to the executive director Alliance for Finance Monitoring Henry Muguzi, much as the current regal regime bans voter bribery, it does not put a cap on the amount of money to be used in campaigns.

He said the new amendments will enforce disclosure of money used in campaigns, introduce spending caps to all candidates as well as introducing a political finance regulator.

Muguzi added that the amendments are set to be introduced under a private members bill arrangement and over 40 members of Parliament have so far offered to foot this bill.

 Available statistics show that in the last Presidential and Parliamentary elections, Shs 2.4 trillion were used in campaigns.

READ ALSO:

Kadaga wants NSSF Act reviewed

Only 24% of Ugandans have access to piped water, report

The post Parliamentary Elections Act amendment should be quicken – Muguzi first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Addressing key stakeholders at meeting to devise collective strategies for the passing of these bills, the executive director of the network Sylvia Namubiru said  that much as the justice bill is now in cabinet, there is need to bring the legal aid bill on board since the two bills complement each other.

A cross section of legal aid service providers laying strategies for improving legal aid service delivery

Namubiru said the delayed passing of the two bills have adversely affected over 80% of the people who cannot afford to access justice.

She added that once the two bills are put in place, the government will reduce on the cost it incurs on prison services since prisoners will have access to legal aid and also curtail corruption in the judiciary.

ALSO READ:

Only 24% of Ugandans have access to piped water, report

Uganda holds 3 Kenyan police officers on L. Victoria

The post Justice bills campaign relaunched first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

This came after Dokolo North Member of Parliament Paul Amoru complained about reports in the media indicating that salaries of members of parliament are to be increased in the next financial year saying that such reports portray them in bad light.

Reports had indicated that government will need an extra 90 billion shillings to cater for salary increment of 452 MPs who are set to raise their salaries more than 100 per cent to 24million shillings from 11million shillings.

While responding to the matter the speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga  informed him that she is the chairperson of the parliamentary commission and there has been no attempt to increase the salaries of members of parliament.

Kadaga asked members of parliament to ignore those reports saying they are fake.

ALSO READ: Ex-servicemen run to Speaker Kadaga for help

The post Parliament denies salary increment report for MPs 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 Speaker of The Parliament of Uganda Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga

Parliament has put on halt the parliamentary committees from soliciting additional funds from well-wishers for the committee work.

The speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga informed parliament that she received information in regard to some committees getting funds outside parliament for the committee activities, yet the parliamentary commission provides all the necessary facilitation for the members of parliament work.

She also stopped the committees from taking decisions that defies parliament and without her knowledge.

She said that will meet all the parliamentary committee chairpersons for further instructions to end this irregular habit of the committee leadership.

ALSO READ: Pensioners to receive pension at time of retirement, reads proposed bill

ALSO READ: Crocodiles kill over 240 people in Namayingo District, says area MP

The post Parliament stops committees from soliciting for additional funds from well wishers first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

Abbot Ouma told parliament that about 400 people have been attacked by the crocodiles, 240 people killed since 1998 of these 83 are children.

He noted that about 70 people killed have been killed in a period of a year.

He pleaded to government to procure water tanks to the schools of Bukhooli Islands to stop school going children from being eaten by crocodiles while fetching water from the swamps.

He asked government to construct a bridge between the swamps in the area to avoid children and adults crossing these swamps from being attacked by crocodiles and to also compensate the families of the victims of crocodiles.

The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga promised the matter to be investigated and a solution is found.

The post Crocodiles kill over 240 people in Namayingo District, says area MP first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

This was during the approval of the report by the committee on Gender on the Ministerial Policy Statement of the Ministry of gender for the financial year 2018/2019.

This is after the chairperson of the committee on gender Ndeezi Alex informed parliament that creations limited a private company by Gen. Elly Tumwnine  has been occupying Nnomo gallery but has not been paying rent since 1998.

Ndeezi said that what is disheartening is that every financial year funds are allocated for the maintenance of this premises and in the FY 2018/19,44.6 million shillings  has been set aside for the same purpose.

The Committee strongly recommended that; Creations Limited immediately pays rent arrears amounting to 7.62 billion shillings before the end of 2018 and vacates Nommo Gallery.

This prompted the speaker of parliament Rebecca Alitwala  Kadaga to direct Tumwine to pay the rent and also vacate the public facility saying that if this kind of impunity is not checked someone one day will take over parliament and claim its their house just because he fought in the bush.

The post Kadaga orders Gen. Tumwine to vacate nnomo gallery first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

A section of Commonwealth Youth delegates from different African Countries pose for a picture at Hotel Africana on Monday 16 April 2018

Delegates attending the 4th Youth Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (African region) Youth Parliament taking place Kampala, Uganda have called for strengthening of laws aimed at curbing alcoholism and drug abuse across Africa.

During a sitting chaired by Deputy Speaker Mary Namaya(Malawi) a number of delegates said that many of the reasons youth engage in substance abuse is because of the relaxed approach of most of the governments towards the vice.

Halima Abu Ali from Nigeria said that people take these substances because of easy accessibility which stems from relaxed laws saying, “Teenagers are hardwired to experiment new things that they have no idea of, so when the opportunity presents itself most of them utilize it.” Halima also said that African states should tighten present laws on alcohol and drug abuse to make sure that the distribution of drugs is limited.

Canjamalay Pouvarajen (Mauritius) said that many countries have drug acts that need to be revised saying that many drugs are manufactured from simple products like sulphuric acid that are legally imported thus advising governments to set up strict guidelines on how these products are utilized. Pouvarajen also said that governments should have strict laws empowering security authorities to weed out anyone engaged in smuggling and producing drugs.

Chelsie Maggie Owino from Kenya advised that African governments should create agencies to curb the abuse of drugs and alcohol.

Charles Ssendaula from Uganda said that governments should put up strict laws governing the promotion of alcohol noting that adverts in media are inappropriate and encourage the youth to use alcohol because some depict as great tasting and associate it with success.

The discussion was based on statistics that 37,000 youth in Africa die from drug abuse and alcohol related illnesses.
The Youth Parliament passed a resolution to combat drug and alcohol abuse which was identified as one of the issues faced by youth and as a topic for discussion.

Also related: Cecilia Ogwal asks African youth to shun homosexuality

The post Youth Parliament urges African governments to strengthen laws on alcoholism and drug abuse  first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.