The tax is to be charged on all withdraw transactions using mobile money.

In the parliamentary seating today, a total of 164 Members of Parliament supported the Excise Duty Amendment Bill No 2 which provides for the 0.5 percent tax instead of the initial 1 percent.

124 MPs however opposed the tax but could not forbid democracy of the rule of the majority from taking place.

Over 162 of the 450 legislators were absent at the time the of vote.

This has been the second time the bill has appeared before parliament for legislation. Thursday last week, the voting failed when just a handful of MPs showed up.

Government intends to collect Shs115 billion to fund part of its budget.

The tax had provoked a series of protests from Ugandans who claimed that it is intended to oppress the poor.

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