RDC: Troisieme Legislature de la Troisieme Republique – Muhindo Nzangi Butondo – Demande de Creation d’une Commission d’Enquete Parlementaire (04.02.2020)

Opinion: Bobi Wine needs his own way

There are some wrangles inside the Democratic Party, where both Members of Parliament loyal to Norbert Mao and others whose siding with Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine are fighting. They are battling over the Presidency of DP and also whose the man being the Presidential Candidate on the DP Party Ticket.

However, as the People Power Movement (PPM) is a pressure group. It is not an formal political party, neither is registered as that. The membership there are from various of parties and from all walks of life. Therefore, Bobi Wine can spread the message of change and “People Power, Our Power” as he deems fit.

That is why the recent week is special, as Mathias Mpuuga MP has claimed the People Power being a baby of the DP. While the PPM haven’t addressed this nor said anything. Just like it didn’t address the bastard child allegation of defiance and Dr. Kizza Besigye from Andrew Mwenda. I’m sure that if Bobi Wine would address this, he would say its his own and his nobodies baby. But inspired by several of people, who has fought dictatorship and defied it.

That is why there are more into this, as the DP and the DP Block trying to find relevance. As there are internal squabble, as some people have lost faith in Mao and others want to try other ways. That is not strange, as Mao went all behind Amama Mbabazi in the previous race and that went horrible. Now Amama is cosying up to Mzee and left all his allies in Opposition behind.

That Bwanika and Mabikke doesn’t have the structures nor the following, they were on-man parties and could be deemed as brief-case parties by some. That they joined Mao doesn’t make it a power move, but more a consolidation of former DP’s. In this way, combined with the work of Alliance for National Transition (ANT)’s Mugisha Muntu, the move of also getting Bobi Wine would be to have another IPC or TDA into the 2021 elections.

That is giving way to President Museveni and his camp. Instead of selling more visions and showing more expression of will of change. The Opposition would trade it all and only look hungry for power. Which it shouldn’t be. They should look a viable difference and someone who has an idea for what is up next post-Museveni.

In this regard, Bobi Wine doesn’t need the DP ticket. He shouldn’t vie for the DP ticket, that would trade his difference and make him a stooge of Mao. Bobi Wine doesn’t want to be knock-off Mao. He needs his own way and continue to walk alone in alliance as the PPM. The PPM can work with the DP, but shouldn’t be indirectly inside it. Neither, should the PPM be a part of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) or anyone else. The PPM should work with them and find a common ground, but not be solidify their ticket with them. Then the Opposition is trading away their viable candidates and their messages to send to the NRM.

Bobi Wine can be in association, but he should trade away his significant platform for the DP. The DP should send Mao or whoever the delegates deems fit for the Presidential Elections in 2021. Unless, they are going behind someone else like they did in 2016.

Time will tell, but Bobi Wine shouldn’t involve himself to much with the DP and work with his own thing. There is where hope lays. Not playing second fiddle, something he shouldn’t do at this point. Unless, he doesn’t believe in his own cause. Then he can just be another pawn in the game of chess. Peace.

Guinee: Front National pour la Defense de la Constitution (FNDC) – Declaration No. 001 (07.02.2020)

Mobile Money Tax shortfall: People change behaviour after levying an unfair tax

Levy on mobile money contributed a deficit of UGX 30.48 billion which can be explained by the fact that high value clients withdraw their funds from agency banking e.g MTN has had a drop of 36 percent in MM transaction values since the introduction of the levy on mobile money” (Uganda Revenue Authority, 06.02.2020).

There is also reported that it has been a 36% drop in Mobile Money Transactions since the enaction of the Exercise Duty in 2018. That means, the added tax on the MM transactions are backfiring. The State isn’t adding revenue, but ensuring that people are finding other ways of moving their money.

This is not shocking, that people change behaviour, when the state makes it more expensive. As the people used these services to send each other money by convenience. Now, one third of the transactions are gone. Meaning, the ones that can change their ways has done that.

The losers are not only the Telecoms, but also the state. As the shortfall of taxes got to be covered elsewhere. As the state had put this into the budgets to cover other state works. This means the targets for domestic revenue wasn’t considering the implications of doing it. As, there wouldn’t be an natural reaction to the consequences to the new taxes.

Instead of increasing the tax base, they are making it smaller and not able to find measures that makes sense. The state has clearly done this without due diligence, neither also configured the stats and the possible behaviour of the public. As their ways gotten more taxed and not considering that they would stop, if they found it to expensive or unreasonable.

The MM tax and the OTT taxes was measures made to tax the digital market-space in the Republic. However, they have both been flawed and also not met their targets, because the public found other ways of doing things.

The ironies about the MM saga is that before the tax, the business of MM was growing. A natural growth and having more transactions every year. Now, that they levied the tax its has a big fall. That is a result of the MM Tax and the public is not having it. Peace.

Trump-Ukraine: Statement by Ambassador David Pressman, Partner at Boles Schiller Flexner LLP, counsel to LTC Alexander Vindman (07.02.2020)

Zimbabwe National Army: Media Response Zimbabwe Independent False Deployment Allegations Against the Military (07.02.2020)

Kenya Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the Death of Kenya’s Second President Daniel Arap Moi (07.02.2020)

Embassy of Cameroon to China: Message to Cameroonians in the People’s Republic of China (07.02.2020)

South Sudan: Governors Communique (04.02.2020)

Opinion: URA is striking at the taxes of opposition candidates ahead of 2021

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioner General Doris Akol has today stated that she intends to get every single candidate standing for elections in the 2021 General Elections to get a “Tax Clearance Certificate”. However, that is not implemented in any law nor regulation at this point. The Electoral Commission hasn’t said this is needed, as there is no protocol nor law assisting that.

That is unless, the Presidential Elections Act is revised before the election or is amended in time. However, the Presidential Election Act, Fourth Scheduled in the Annex of the law states this:

6.* (a) I have paid all taxes due from me; or

(b) I have made arrangements satisfactory to the appropriate

authority for the payment of my taxes. *(delete where inapplicable)”

(…)

*A commissioner for oaths, magistrate, registrar of the High Court (including deputy and district registrar) or other person authorised by law to administer oaths” (Presidential Election Act, 2000).

The other laws for candidates is to either not being detained for 9 months before the next election. Also, the proof that the person has not been bankrupt. As the candidate has to pay fees to stand as a candidate, which a price that varies on the various candidacies for a individual of a sound mind and being a Ugandan national.

Therefore, the URA could, if they may, be presiding officers, which preside over the oath and have commissioners that administer these oaths. That would be fair to the candidates, as there is no mention of certificates, neither in the Parliamentary Elections Act nor the Presidential Election Act. We can without further judgment …. say its not in the 1995 Constitution, as this is a made up ordeal of the URA Commissioner General Akol.

This is a clear target at opposition MPs, Presidential Candidates and whatnot. To make life harder for them and their candidacies. As they have to suddenly make moves to contact URA and then look over their taxes. This is giving way to the URA to even stop someone from standing, especially if they are finding discrepancies from the candidate.

So, will the Electoral Commission asks for oaths and who will be authorised to administer these oats within the Electoral Road Map of 2021? That should be put in print and they should start moving. Because, there is no mention of a certificate for it. That is a made up regulation, that only fits the mind of Akol.

As long as there is no legal text, no legal bound for the action made, the candidates should necessarily go through this. Unless, Gen. Kahinda Otafiire is writing a new amendment as we speak and wanting it rubber-stamped before dawn. Peace.