Opinion: “Clayton Bigsby” is running for office in 2024…

“I thought I was more Malcolm X but I found out I’m more MLK. Because as I’m getting hosed down every day by the press and financially, I’m just standing there. When I found out they tried to put me in jail, it was like a dog was biting my arm. I almost shed a tear, almost” – Kanye West (28.11.2022).

Who would have thought the skit and the comedic genius of Dave Chappelle from back in the day would be so relevant in 2022. The year of 2022, years after the final ending of the HBO’s series called Dave Chappelle. There are several skits and parts of it, which is relevant to this day. However, one character is more important than ever.

That is Clayton Bigsby, the African-American who was a KKK member and hated black people. That guy seems to be reflection of who Kanye Omari West has become. The recording artist, the music mogul and former billionaire.

His now on his second stint of running for President. The last one in 2020 was a mess and ill prepared. Kanye wasn’t even on the ticket in all states and barely got over 50,000 votes. So, it is not like Ye or Kanye has a big political base to begin with.

It doesn’t help with his outburst and his affiliations. The campaign team that he has surrounded himself with isn’t all that either. Unless, he wants to run on a crazy-MAGA, Alt-Right and close to fascist agenda, which maybe be true at this point. Has hired Nick Fuentes to be his Communication Director and Milo Yiannopoulos as his Campaign Director. In the middle of this, the banned YouTuber Sneako has also appeared. Therefore, his really associating himself with the fringes of society and the hardliners on the right.

The ones denying is that is stupid. It’s like Ye is seeking validation from the white. That he needs to be respected and acknowledged, because his somehow fighting their cause. It is hard to believe that a man like Kanye is associating himself and working with these people. However, he is and his seemingly thriving in their presence. I don’t know what it is… but the anti-Semitism, White Supremacy and ice-cold Nazi’s are now his folks.

That’s why his like the fictional Clayton Bigsby. A man who wore the cloak, spread the message against blackness and his hatred of it. Yes, he was blind and couldn’t see his own skin. However, the duality of that is clear in Kanye too.

We can with certainty expect more anti-Semitism and more such things. The latest short interview on Tim Pool’s Podcast only further this picture. Kanye isn’t built for an honest conversation. His just made for “yes-men” and be surrounded by people in his elitist sphere. That’s why he cannot come across as sincere or even understanding of the topics his discussing.

When he said in the short timespan that he was nearly like “MLK”. That wasn’t only like a Clayton Bigsby skit, but taken straight out of Boondocks. Sooner or later Kanye will re-appear in a real life adaption of a South Park episode. This time not saying “Gay-Fish” but going further down the rabbit hole into oblivion. Because, this 2024 campaign must be a golden opportunity for the boys along him. They are certainly paid on and on a pay-roll. These has fixed incomes and has to serve Kanye. While Kanye is making a fool of himself and just showing his ignorance.

We can just wonder if this sort of outbursts and ideals is resonating with the Republican voters of 2024. If Kanye is in the primary and even trying to conquer from with right. Since his aligning himself on the Alt-Right and wants to defend the insurrectionists. That’s why you know his aiming for the MAGA and the ones there. Which happens to be the base and the ones who has been loyal to Trump.

God knows how this will play out. I didn’t see this happening on my timeline. The 2020 campaign should have been a signal of a wasted candidacy. Kanye has no knowledge or idea of what the office entails. His a self-proclaimed genius who cannot even stomach criticism. Not even the slightest. Ye is a big snowflake himself… that is evident.

If he believes this and thinks this is wise. Well, sooner or later the world will crash around him. He will not only be condemn among the peers. Kanye will also empty his treasure-chest and all the avenues he still has. He has already lost a lot and could easily loose more. His reputation is in tatters and people are struggling to separate the artist from the art. When that happens… you know the game is up!

His now a glorified Clayton Bigsby and I wonder if his proud of it. Certainly, this man said once that George W. Bush “don’t like black people”. Now, he aligns himself with people who believes the white is the superior race and are blatantly racists. That’s his crowd now…

Maybe, Kanye even was signalling back in 2013 on “Black Skinhead” when he had a line saying: “Stop all that coon shit (Black)”. I don’t know, but his messaging and his visions of late… is more self destructive and into territories, which is self-hatred. That’s how it seems… as his going down this path. There is no return back now. Those bridges are burned… and this is far worse than wearing the red cap and visiting Trump at Trump Tower. No, this is another ball-game and his playing in a field he has no control over.

Ye will not get the favourable spin, but that will only happen in smaller fringe circles and not among the masses. He is certainly not among the peers he came into the music industry with. Neither with the supporters or the ones who bought into his character early on. Many of these has left him. Me included. This is far from who he was and the messages he spoke of back-then.

It is just tragic man, but we got a “Clayton Bigsby” running for Presidency in 2024. Peace.

Opinion: Kanye’s “Empire” is fading quickly

“Aftermath of Kanye West’s antisemitic comments:

Adidas cut ties

Balenciaga cut ties

Vogue and Anna Wintour cut ties

Dropped by talent agency, CAA

Dropped by lawyer

Streams, sales & airplay plummeted

Restricted from Instagram & Twitter

Stadium shows cancelled

Documentary shelved” (Pop Crave, 25.10.2022).

Kanye Omari West aka Kanye West aka Ye has created a storm surrounding himself. No one should feel sorry for him. In addition to the mentioned companies ceasing operations or agreements with Ye. There is the end of GOOD Music imprint under the Island Def Jam umbrella. Also, that JP Morgan also stopped having him as a customer and banking services. Meaning the statements and the words of Ye matter. Because, it wouldn’t have this effect, if the words was substantiated.

The hip hop mogul and fashion(ista) has now fallen short. His “empire” is now in the wind. He has gone from beloved and entrusted with collaboration with famous brands. Being tied to companies oozing of prestige and elegance. Now his just another bloke who has fallen short.

When Charlamagne The God (CTG) starts calling you “K-K-Kanye” you know the gig is up. This is just proving that Anti-Semitism isn’t a selling factor or a train-of-thought that is valuable. Maybe in the 4Chan and the sphere of Parler, which Kanye is soon entering. Though, it will haemorrhaging money, if he gets the transaction and get to takeover the social media site now.

This is the fall of grace, the Clayton Bigsby of the Dave Chappelle Universe or Uncle Ruckus of the Boondocks. Both characters could be played by Kanye in the recent time. That is not satire or even a joke, but a reality we live in.

It all started with a white-supremacist talking point, the “White Lives Matters” shirts at a fashion show. This continued with more outrageous talk on Tucker Carlson, Drink Champs podcast and beyond that. The ones entertaining this now… is just falling in a trap and the click-baiting is doing no good.

“K-K-Kanye” is tainted goods now. That’s why everything he has touched is falling out of grace. This is the opposite Midas Touch. The things he touches isn’t becoming gold, but going in the garbage. He haven’t only fallen off, but getting seriously “cancelled”.

There is a point of no return. There is an ending of all of this. His becoming a villain of his own story. That’s not for the betterment of society or even spread enlightenment. No, this isn’t done shine a light or be a beacon of hope. His just falling into a trap of failure and doing it deliberately. This cannot sell shoes, T-Shirts or CDs for that matter. People are even boycotting and stopping playing his songs on streaming services.

Right here his showing not to be a genius, but high on his own supply. A man lost in the bargain of validation and need for acceptance in a new political sphere. His not caring about the suffering or the plights of others. He just want to be the golden boy and the greatness of the MAGA crowds and the 4Chan community. That’s where his heading and Donald J. Trump is writing similar messages on his Truth Social. They are aligned in their bigotry, white-supremacist talking points and their rhetoric. Which is striking, but the sad reality in 2022.

A man that spoke of the plights of others and even blamed George W. Bush after Hurricane Katrina and the destruction of New Orleans. Now, his the Clayton Bigsby and the Uncle Ruckus in the flesh. He is the living and breathing example of these now. That’s who “K-K-Kanye” has become. That’s what he has become, it is not smart, not wise or beautiful. It isn’t even a dark twisted fantasy, it is a tragic ending to a man who could have continued to inspire and used his platform for good. Instead he chose a path, which is only more self-destruction and being a voice of infringed white-supremacists. That’s the verdict today. Tomorrow it might be different, but there is nothing good coming out of this.

“K-K-Kanye” will act like a victim and a martyr. He will continue to spew the hatred and the rhetoric which brought him here. However, it will do him no good. Neither will it help his cause. His just showing us his character and what he has become. A man who has fallen and who don’t mind undermining his legacy…. Peace.

Opinion: Kanye becomes a Right-Wing Social Media site owner [since his now buying Parler!]

“And I’ll never let my son have an ego

He’ll be nice to everyone wherever we go

I mean, I might even make him be Republican

So everybody know he love white people” – Kanye West on “New Day” of ‘Watch The Throne’ (2011).

“NASHVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 17, 2022 – Parlement Technologies announced today that it has entered into an agreement in principle to sell Parler, the world’s pioneering uncancelable free speech platform, to Ye (formerly known as Kanye West). Ye has become the richest Black man in history through music and apparel and is taking a bold stance against his recent censorship from Big Tech, using his far-reaching talents to further lead the fight to create a truly non-cancelable environment. “In a world where conservative opinions are considered to be controversial we have to make sure we have the right to freely express ourselves,” says Ye” (PR Newswire – ‘Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, to acquire Parler platform’ 17.10.2022).

Kanye Omari West aka Kanye aka Yeezy aka Ye is now officially becoming the owner of Parler or Parlement Technologies. Which is really interesting, as it is founded by Rebekah Mercer. If your not familiar with her?

She has supported Donald J. Trump’s Presidential Campaign in 2016. Also, been a patron of Steve Bannon and Ted Cruz. In addition to the Mercer’s has funded Breitbart. Therefore, Parler is a right-wing social media house and not just a run-of-the-mill corporation. Not to forget, she also partly funded the Cambridge Analytica. This is why you should know what sort of character she is and that’s why it’s important for what Kanye West or Ye is buying.

Ye is buying a sort of 4Chan or Gab. This is just another one of them. Not to forget to mention Truth Social or Gettr for that matter. The Right-Wing media is so scattered and spread out. Now Ye is getting direct ownership of it.

Currently the Parler website isn’t the biggest, in the last three months there been 1.3 million visits and the duration on the page is about 3 minutes. Which is very little if we were to compare with Twitter, Instagram or Facebook for that matter. That we know is the main competition and where it wants to aim at.

Parler isn’t a big company either. It has like 6 employees and 9 connections to it. It was only in September 2022 that the company rebranded itself to be “uncancelable” whatever that means, because we know a leftist on the site would be booted out quickly.

Protect Young Eyes says this about Parler:“Is Parler safe for kids? No it isn’t. The 17+ rating in Apple’s App Store is the right spot. This is a social platform made by adults and 100% for adults. Why? Because the Community decides what stays and goes. I understand that Parler wants to be a refuge for those who are tired of political censorship, but they are trusting human nature to figure out what’s best for humans. Time will tell if this works! In the history of the Internet, this just doesn’t tend to go well (related post: Deep Web, Dark Web Explained)” (Protect Young Eyes – ‘Parler App Reveiw’).

We can expect it to be in this lane. Kanye West or Ye has drifted in this way for so long. The latest controversies are showing it too. His association not only with Trump and Candance Owens. That’s just who he is and buying Parler is just a reflection of that. This is who he has become and it’s evident now.

Now we know that he takes over Mercer’s former social media house. It is really happening after the company has fundraised over $36 million dollars. Therefore, he should expect not only to acquire this, but he has to fund the operation too. Especially, if his a serious owner. This isn’t a quick or simple purchase…

A digital company needs liquidity and continued funds for it’s operations. Especially, if the company is lacking revenue streams or such. With the viability and the amount of users. I have a hard time seeing Parler becoming profitable. Unless, Ye can unleash new crowds on the site. This is something time will tell, but don’t get it confused.

This is and will be a parental advisory page for the right-wing. Ye will not change this. His inheriting Mercer’s page and now his stepping into a new avenue. Peace.

Opinion: Mark Zuckerburg is having a bad day

Today, Mark Zuckerburg and the whole company of Facebook Inc. is having their worst nightmare. So, does the users of the sites in question. Since the social media networks of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp went down. There is a lot of things revealed. It got to be a heartache and some tech-guys working on overtime as we speak.

Silicon Valley and everyone circling it. It got to be tense. Zuckerburg has to explain in detail about what happen. Because, there is a lot of personal data for over 1 billion users on these sites. There are so much information collected and data, which shouldn’t be controlled by one firm alone. Alas, the same can be said about Google for that matter or Amazon. That is what happens when one company and “one empire” get total control.

We as consumers and users of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp should be worried right now. Just like these Social Media sites has been used to target demographics and spread misinformation during elections. The same data and collected information can be used by unknown sources. We don’t know why it went or what occurred.

What we do know is that the power of this knowledge is valuable. That is why the analytics of sites like Facebook is a commodity. Because, the interested parties can pay for services and ensure the groups in question reads their message. Hence, secure their targets get influenced and hopefully participate in a manner, which they prefer. That is a powerful for anyone who would use it like that.

Now that it’s down. We just know something behind the scenes is going down. There will smear campaigns and strikes. The Facebook Inc. will come with their stories. While we the consumer have to reflect, if our information having it on that site is even site. For that matter on any of the other sites that is connected as well.

We have gotten used to it and it’s there we often re-connect with people we know. People far away, which you don’t call anymore or lives abroad. That is just the way life works. Could have done that though emails or letters, but that’s old-school. Better to DM or just send a brief text through the social media’s.

This is why it’s striking. We should be worried. We know what Cambridge Analytica did with it. God knows what another party could do. Best case scenario just breaches, DNS serves collapsing and whatnot. However, we got no idea and the truth will eventually linger out.

There is a time and place for everything. Right now is to await and see. Because it’s hard to know what is going on. The company will keep things to their chest and only spin a narrative that fits them. The reality might be something else. Since, this happened so sudden and there been nothing like this. That’s why something is up, but we don’t know what that is.

It is at least not a crazy status update from one of your old buddies, which you just says “sigh” too and move along. Peace.

Opinion: Ogwang, what behaviour do you mean?

“The government is investigating Ugandans, whom it says have been misusing internet and social media platforms before reconnecting all of them back. Appearing before the Information and Technology Committee of Parliament chaired by Dokolo South Legislator Paul Amoru, the State Minister for ICT Peter Ogwang said the full reinstatement of the internet will be dependent on how Ugandans online behave” (NBS Television, 21.01.2021).

The Media Blackout and Social Media Blackout was direct orders from the state directed through government authorities to block all internet gateways. The state has also blocked all social media apps and sites online. The ones accessing these are using VPNs or Virtual Personal Networks to circumvent the blockade of state.

The Foreign Minister Kutesa said they had blocked Facebook and Twitter for “equalities” sake, as the foreign companies had blocked pages and persons affiliated with the government. Today, the Staet Minister for ICT Ogwang says its depends on “behaviour”. What sort behaviour do the honourable minister mean?

Hon. Ogwang by what law and what statutes are you basing this on?

That is something I wondering about. Since, you are not only indirectly blocking all voices on social media and on the internet. However, you are also putting in conditions, which cannot be verified. These conditions is based on certain parameters, which the public cannot get the gist off. Because, what does it mean?

The Minister should really come out with a proper statement and reasoning behind this. As this was a measure not based on actions made by the citizens, but by the powers of the state. Because, the state wanted to keep things in the black. They wanted the truth to be hidden and not expose the obvious election rigging this month. It wasn’t about language, posts or anything in particular.

I was expecting the state minister would say he was afraid of “tribalism” or “inciting violence”. However, he talked about behaviour like the citizens are kids. This is a paternalistic of the minister, but nothing new from this regime.

This is deliberate by the state to silence and ensure several of voices doesn’t come online. If they were sincere. They would have used other arguments and reasons to do so. However, this is just bonkers and ridiculous. The minister knows it and the citizens should know it too.

We know why they did it and this is just excuses to continue it, instead of reinstating it. Which they should have done yesterday or even the day before that. Peace.

HTTP 404: NRM Apologists not found on Facebook

This week an anomaly happened. The ones supporting and actively supporting the National Resistance Movement (NRM) on Facebook got blocked by the site. The Online Company and Social Media platform has de-platformed several of NRM associated bloggers, pages and groups on Facebook. Some of them has lost their profiles and been suspended from there as well.

That says a lot. There been a sudden purge on their position on Facebook. A place where views, perspectives and spread of information is happening steadily. What is ironic here. The NRM is crying foul. The same supporters and activists, the same bloggers and associates of the NRM has had no issues blocking, hacking or violating pages of the opposition. The same NRM associated people have taken over opposition media houses pages and even deleted them. That has been during the campaigns. Therefore, maybe the same fellow breached “community standards” by inciting these acts and the opposition just notified the company.

That wouldn’t be shocking here as Ghetto TV and others been under fire on the same site. It is just a mention in the quest of things happening to the opposition. However, these sort of things doesn’t tend to happen to the NRM. The NRM is usually above these things and acting untouchable.

Now, the NRM SOMA, GCIC and Uganda Media Centre is losing its grip. As Facebook is an important platform on Social Media. They are not getting the venue for their space to spread their message in the final days to the polls. That is an act that backfire. Especially, if the NRM plans to act upon the “Scientific” campaigns. However, we know how that has worked of late.

I do feel sorry for the inconvenience, but they are just tasting the blunt action made towards them. As the NRM can easily block radio-stations, take away broadcasting licenses and stop publishing of newspapers in the Republic. That is if they are having high ranking opposition as guests on air or even getting their messages across for a long time. They are only lucky if they get short windows and limited space. While the NRM covers most of it.

This is why in the traditional media, the NRM and the President is covering most of it. His owning it in practice. Though on the social media and on newer platforms the opposition has an edge. This is why the recent actions of Facebook to de-platform the NRM groups, pages and persons are really hitting home.

What Facebook is actually doing is what the NRM does to the Opposition at home. They are blocking and making it impossible for them to speak. How many times has a opposition candidate tried to access a radio station and been blocked? Countless of times. The same is now happening to the NRM. In a manner, which they cannot control…

That is just karma in my view. They are tasting the same spirit, which they have delivered on a daily for years to the opposition. The men loyal to Museveni and his cause. Is now seeing the effects of their actions. These folks are tasting their own medicine.

Yes, they have a right to free speech. Yes, they have a right to express it and that is all justified. However, there is no human right to be part of Facebook. Secondly, if your part of Facebook. Then you have signed an agreement to uphold certain standards. However, if those is breached. The company can suspend or de-platform you, which they have done here. That is all natural.

The NRM apologists, activists and bloggers can find other avenues now. They can use other platforms and other places to spread their message. However, there are few sites who has more people connected and people accessing on the daily. Therefore, the blocking to the site is hurting them.

The NRM could start to mediate with Facebook. The NRM could try to talk and figure out how to get access again. What sort of amends and promises they need to get re-activated. I am sure they would let it happen. Alas, they rather cry foul and be victims.

Nevertheless, these folks aren’t that much of victims. These folks aren’t in danger of prison, abductions, arrests or torture even. No, these folk are in danger of house-arrests or fatalities. No, these folks are safe and surrounded by the elites. These people are eating. That is why it’s hard to feel sorry for them. Peace.

‘Yellow Influencers’ Get a Food-Drive!

Last year in 2019, there was reports of a new Social Media Task Force for the National Resistance Movement (NRM), which had up to that point hired 49 people. The NRM already had their Social Media Activists (SOMA). So, they had two units work in co-ordination with each other. This is all attempts to steer the narrative and control the air-waves. Not new in that regard, but using modern methods to hit the public with information.

Just like all the other entities, which are government friendly press like the New Vision Group. The UBC, Government Citizen Interaction Centre (GCIC) and Uganda Media Centre to name a few.

In these COVID-19 lockdown times. The NRM together with the leader of the pack of the NRM Social Media Task Force, Duncan Abigaba have shown that they are feeding 245 bloggers. This is done through the kindness of Muhoozi Kainerubaga or the friends of him. They call them “Yellow influencers or bloggers” because that paint the picture. Even the blogger of Ashburg Katto is in the mix, so it seems its not far from the prison-cell to eating of the hand of the system.

These people will be instrumental to get the right vision ahead of the General Election of 2021. This is why they are even now doing deliveries and feeding them food. They are getting serviced by the state for a purpose. Because, these influencers can sway public opinion on social media and various of platforms. That is why Promoter Baalam and the Social Media Task Force of Abigaba is involved in this.

This is ensuring loyalty, as the payment of some rice and other foods during the pandemic. Will remind these Yellow Influencers whose their friends. They got to eat in the midst of it all, because hey are useful right now and in the future. Their platforms on the various of social media will be vital.

Its like 120 personalities on Social Media and about 120 bloggers, which is getting this treatment. This means these people are included and selected out, because of their writing and their content. This is because Duncan handpicked them and know what their up too.

That is what is striking is the amount of effort and to show their names on social media. These is our folks and comrades. Just go into Duncan Abigaba page on Facebook and the whole list will appear. It expose the ninjas writing and working directly for the NRM.

The Yellow Influencers if you may. The friends of Muhoozi is allowed to give these foods without any reinforcement of police nor any meetings with authorities. Because, they are working in-directly for the efforts for the state. This is partisan politics at its best. That information is being dropped on the day the UPF disclaim everything about Zaake whose healing after torture. That is the sort of state the Republic is in.

Where Yellow Influencers can get a food-drive by the Son-of-the-President. But opposition doing the same to his constituents are healing in the hospital after meeting the authorities. That is the double standard and the realities on the ground.

That Baalam and Abigaba is above Zaake is now clear as day. That the Yellow Influencers are important is clear too. They will be a tool into the elections and the campaigns, spreading the message of the “Yellow Bastard”. Peace.

Opinion: OTT Tax on Data Bundles is like a dual-VAT

“URA Commissioner General Doris Akol told the Finance Committee of Parliament chaired by Henry Musasizi that the controversial OTT Tax will be charged directly on data instead of mobile money to curb the evasion” (NBS Television, 14.01.2020).

I wonder if Doris Akol has thought this through or is winging it? As she see the losses and lack of results, revenue or tax base with the 200 shillings of doom. The whole OTT Tax is to expensive for the public daily. Now, she wants to move it and indirectly tax it instead.

Surely, they will get revenue, but this will make it more expensive to buy data-bundles for the customers and make the packages more viable. VPN and similar networks to circumvent the usage and payments of the daily OTT Tax have beaten the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). That is why URA does this now.

It is a sign of defiance and civil disobedience. They are trying to patch the hurt. But will this succeed? Will more try to only load data through Wi-Fi networks and wireless networks in general. Not load so much data on the go. Because, people are smart and tries to undercut extra taxes. Especially, when on the data is already paid VAT and the Mobile Company pay their taxes on the profits too.

Therefore, URA and Akol seems fishing. They will raise revenue, but also make the data bundles more expensive and with that stop plenty of people from buying bigger data bundles for surfing online on your smart-phone.

That is just the mere reality. It is a sign, yet again that the OTT is a failed project, who didn’t hit the targets and wasn’t measured right. If it was, the aim and the bargain wouldn’t be like this. That is not happening.

This method is a clever way of adding the costs of data, while charging for service not necessarily used. The OTT Services, which is the reason for why these are charged. Because, the data could be used for other things and therefore, is violating its attempt to make it costly for certain usage on online.

This is again, pushing one story, pushing one tax and trying to tax the public by any means. When the hook doesn’t work, they use the crook. Instead of doing directly, they want to do it indirectly and initially in some way adding a separate VAT on data-bundles masked as OTT Tax. That is really it.

We all know this, URA verify it today. That the only things certain in life is death and taxes. Thanks Akol for reminding us. Peace.

OTT Tax: Totally failed its supposed revenue targets in 2018!

Today, the Uganda Communication Commission released their annual sector performance report of July 2019. It was really a bit funny look, as the state, the President and all of his handlers said the Over-The-Top Services would create a tax-base and revenue, which would benefit the state. That is why Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) had set up targets to streamline these new taxes.

I will show more of the fun and explain, as the UCC report really shows how malfunction and lack of due diligence hurt. But first a previous calculation, which was stated to the media. To show how much lack of tax-base the OTT had in 2018, as it was implemented in July and keeps pushing to this date.

Look:

Daily Monitor Reports: “Government collected Shs20.5b from social media in the last quarter ended September, according to data obtained from Uganda Revenue Authority. The tax, which was implemented in July, was however, less than the Shs24.9b target that URA had hoped to collect in the period. URA has a monthly target of Shs8.3b. The tax was introduced in the Excise Duty amendments of financial year 2018/19 requiring all social media users to pay Shs200 per day, before accessing certain platforms such as Facebook, Whatsapp and Twitter, among others. Government intends to collect about Shs100b before the end of the 2018/19 financial year” (Christine Kasemiire – ‘OTT raises Shs20b in first quarter, URA fails on targets’ 07.11.2018).

Let’s first do the math, accordingly, as the URA monthly target is 8,3bn shillings in revenue, every single month. A quarter of a Financial Year is 4 months. In today’s UCC report, it shows the numbers for the Q3 and Q4 of 2018. Which means, that states revenue from July-September and October-December in the previous years. By these standards its 8,3bn X3 to get the supposed of any given Q. That is 24,9bn shillings is estimated to earn per quarter.

However, the UCC report states that in the Q3, the revenue was 12,696,558,400 or 12,6bn shillings which is only about half of the anticipated revenue. The final quarter or Q4 isn’t much better:12,952,833,800 or 12,9bn shillings. Of the estimated earnings, the state is nearly able to gain about half of its target. The market and the consumers are not contributing or using the phones as much as they thought. What is striking if you combine the two quarters of revenue is that the state earned approximately 25,5bn shillings, which is sadly just above one quarter estimate of the URA in supposed revenue on this tax. The estimated earnings of the period would be about 49,8bn and this shows the state managed a deficit of about 24,3bn shillings. That is about on quarters earning not happening at all. Thats a giant shortfall of cash and the URA/UCC needs to explain the Ministry of Finance this one, because this a major loss of promised funding for the state.  

This shows how failed this tax is and what a waste of enforcement and making the tax in its first place. This isn’t fun and games, but a way of misusing power to tax people, just because you find something obnoxious. That is how it seems, since the President want to stop the gossip online and such. Stop spreading of information and ensure that poorest cannot afford to get online and use the OTT services. Because, that what this tax does. Peace.

Uganda: Press Statement – Justification of procurement of OTT services for Members of Parliament (16.05.2019)