Uganda Law Society: Statement on Hon. Ibrahim Abiriga’s Murder and the Deteriorating Security Condition (11.06.2018)

A new look into how the poorest is hit by new Social Media Tax!

Twaweza statistics published on Twitter 8th June 2018

Again, there is proof that the Parliamentary Report on the Exercise Duty Bill Amendment of 2018 was not accurate and not directed to its citizens. I have already questioned it and the lack of due diligence as the 9 page report. The report are directly saying the tax rise and reasons for issuing it. Therefore, I will again show the lowest levels civil servants. They are on salaries, not hawking for money or getting random paychecks. So their estimations are possible to do. The street hustlers will struggle with this. Even the lowest paying civil servants will as well.

By the time of November 2017, the lowest paid salaries for certain government employees are yearly about 250,000 shillings likes the U8 Local Government Workers. Others are the likes of U7 Primary School Teachers about 380,000 shillings. For the U8 Monthly salary about 20,000 shillings and the U7 Monthly salary about 31,000 shillings.

When knowing the lowest have 20k shillings to spend and the lowest teachers about 31k shillings. Because Twaweza has made a reasonable stat on the airtime spending plus the new tax. Everyone will be added 6k shillings. That means the one who has lost the most is the poorest who has about 14k before paying for airtime even. The next lowest is down to 25k and that is before airtime on the cell-phone. If you don’t like the numbers and the costs, no one should because this is huge added tax. An as long you can use and have it installed on your device, the state will take 200,- shillings per day.

All of the numbers I use is from Twaweza statistics. If you 9,900 on Airtime a month, the total cost a month on a phone cost 15,900. That is near the whole salary of the U8 and near half of the U7. Both showing that this is something they cannot afford to do. The ordinary rural spending about 7,900 shillings on airtime and total cost 13,900. even with that the rest of the salary for U8 in rural areas will be about 6,100 shillings. That cannot be enough to sustain their daily lives? It works for the teachers, even if it rough for the U7 who has 17,100 shillings left on their salary. This is just one of the new taxes, not on all the rest of the new issued too. Which all will hit the public differently.

While the lowest estimated usage now is the ones that spend 3,700 shillings on airtime, will totally pay 9,700 shillings. That is still a major part of salaries and nearly no use of the phone. The payment goes all to the Social Media Tax and not onto using the phone itself. They are overly taxing the public, the poorest will have to delete social media and save the money. Because they cannot afford to spend close to 10,000 shillings a month and close 120,000 shillings a year on being on WhatsApp, Facebook and Viber.

It is like the National Resistance Movement (NRM) don’t want to show their retrogressive attitude to the public. Where they are attacking the poorest in the rural areas.

This is all boggling me, that this sort of idea wasn’t put in the report and wasn’t considered. If the report and Members of Parliament cared, they would have considered the implications on the poorests. Even the lack-luster salaries of the U7 and U8, which will be severely hit by this.

Is this what Museveni’s revolution was all about eating of the peasants and taking their spoils, while taxing their leftovers and enriching themselves? Was that what the Bush-War was all about?

Take public for granted, keeping them poor and when the debt hit the fan. Make sure the poorest get doubled taxed. Peace.

Locals sings ‘Ale leleko’ on Abiriga’s return to Arua: The Army in return answered with bullets!

Ale leleko” – translated to “We don’t Want Yellow!”.

Today, the casket of Hon. Ibrahim Abiriga arrived to Arua Airfield and was ready for the citizens to have the public burial of their Member of Parliament. This is just mere days after the assassination of him. Therefore, the public was tense before his casket came there. The public is mourning and worried as their MP came home.

What was sad that the army sent 10 trucks of soldiers from Bondo Army Barracks, who where there to takeover Arua town before the ceremony. There is no redemption from this, as the burial became bloody. Not only destruction of plastic chairs. But the soldiers shot bullet into the air. That in a burial of an MP ended up in more dead. That is really just sad, that in Arua two more people is reported dead. Two more people died because of the burial of Abiriga.

The people of Arua chased away possibly Funeral Workers from Kampala who spoke Luganda. Also beat on Journalists. These was tense youth, who struggles with the death of their MP. They didn’t even want to see the Yellow Color and anything associated with it. There is reports that Abiriga’s relatives have seek refuge at the Arua Police Station.

As reported from Arua:

We the Arua people don’t move the bodies of our loved ones in cars,we carry them and walk wherever we have to go,it took them too long to realise,that van would reach the venue at midnight” (…) “He has always been a hero to Arua people, HATE is an understatement for what they feel for NRM, but Abiriga has always won the votes despite being NRM because he loved his people more than the money”.

This is sentiment from Arua itself. Not just some random person saying it. The mourners did take the casket out of the car. Because they wanted a walking procession, not a slow-downed drive to the funeral. The locals wanted to celebrate their hero and pay their respects properly. They are also tense, because the NRM would destroy the affair. There is also reports that the A-Persons Funeral Services got the other bodies taken away from them too. That is why the army and the violence appeared.

Yellow cars got burned, everything yellow burned in Arua. Motorcycles everything. The youth have really showed their anger and reacted to the affair.

They don’t want yellow now and is tired of it, as they didn’t take care of their representative.

So what we know after today’s violence. We can wonder if the Security and Army will act as swiftly tomorrow. As they went on rampage and the locals chased the police and journalists away. The affair went from celebrating their slain hero, into sad tragic event, no one worthy. The saddest part is that the public have even more people to mourn. As people got shot and killed by soldiers today.

This is a sad way of ending a life and the day before the burial. As the people wanted to celebrate the end of their MP’s life. Abiriga really got the people’s heart, more than we the outsider could understand.

Therefore – Ale leleko. Peace.

Sudden deaths: The Lack of Security!

I would like to distinguish my use of violence from other dictators used the gun to put an end to the use of the gun. There was no and other way”Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at Campaign Rally in 1996.

The story of Ibrahim Abiriga, the story of Andrew Kaweesi and all the sudden deaths in Uganda follows a pattern. This isn’t about their initial rise to power. More its on the lack of security, the rise of insecurity, as so many sudden deaths goes untraceable and without concern of the state. They just vanish, disappear and get no further notice. The stories of all the woman kidnapped and killed, all the innocent woman in last year taken in and around Entebbe. All of this people got the same fate.

They all suddenly get taken away without any warning, certain killers roam the streets and take people away. Certain set of criminals are taken the Republic and they know they will not get caught. Because the Police doesn’t have the ability and neither has the state resources to capture them. That is the sadness. That the state should have the ability and the capabilities to solve this. Find the culprits and let them meet the court of law for prosecution. However, at this point, if we would ever get the real murderer of Kaweesi, that would be a miracle. The same can be said of the Entebbe murders and the mafia’s kidnapping woman. Either ever thinking of getting the killers of Abiriga.

This here is a sad moment, another reflection of the failed state, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has created. Over so many decades and over so long time. The President, the almighty incarnation of power, the big-man of the Republic has promised and said that during his time. That insecurity would be gone and the security was the first priority. However, with time that has dwindled. Especially when cases like this come.

When the similarities of motorcycle groups coming with guns and ambushing high-ranking officials, before assassinating them. This is not a joke, that they can come on motorcycle, storm the cars and shot people into oblivion in the midst of early morning or late afternoon. Says it all, that the state is lacking the need of security and safety net to even secure the highest people of the Republic. What about the run of the mill citizen. Shouldn’t they worry that suddenly someone will make them stop. Someone would come for them and make them stop breathing.

That is random story, a random fantasy. That is the reality, the sad grim reality of the Republic. The NRM and the Police are not capable of securing their own, the high ranking individuals, and the ones that loyal to the state. They are sudden taken away and gotten rid of like garbage. Just shoot down and left to rot on the street. If that isn’t heartbreaking, nothing is. This here is failing of a state.

There is nothing else to say. Nothing can top that. This here is the failing of a state, they cannot even secure the people of the highest rank. Anyone in the state can be touched and be taken away. No one has the power to stop this or have the ability defend themselves against it.

This is ruthless, senseless and the true devastation of society. When random killers can roam the streets and the Police is hunting like headless chickens after them. There is nothing to redeem or give hope. The silence and the pledges is pointless. The lives cannot be resurrected. They are already dead and gone.

While the state didn’t deliver, what it was supposed to do. It was supposed to have the used the guns to end the need for guns. However, Museveni haven’t delivered the security, this rise of fatal crimes is proof of the lack of security of the territory. Everyone can be touched at this current state, not that Police has the capacity or ability to even catch the killers. They are just walking away scotch-free. Peace.

Abiriga assassinated on the way home!

Two unknown men on a motorcycle went an assassinated Ibrahim Abiriga, the Arua Member of Parliament for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and his bodyguard. As they have shot bullets into his car as he was on his way on this Friday the 8th June 2018. Again, another big-man get taken out by motorcyclists with guns ambushing someone on the way home. They killed him on the Gulu Highway on the way home to his Kawanda home in Wakiso District. This time it was a prominent MP and who was a vocal supporter of the Movement. But, alas something is wrong when people like this get taken away.

Not that support any of the ideas or ideals that Abiriga stands for, still I never wants his kind to die. That is not the just way. This is just wrong. Period. That someone fires bullets at a politician and a representative is wrong. To kill his guard is wrong. Everything about this tale is wrong. Thou shall not kill. It is a very simple commandment, but for some hard to follow.

Abiriga is the Yellow Man, the Yellow Fellow. The big-man and the voice of Museveni for many. He was so pro, that he was having a yellow car and all yellow clothes. As he was one of the noisy supporters of the cause. Now he is shot dead and gone.

That this can happen and usually get unresolved, the same happen to former AIGP Andrew Kaweesi and to this day. We still have no clear answers or indication into who ordered, payed and did the deed back-then. Now we have similar affair, but instead of leaving his home for duty. Someone went for Abiriga on his way home. This is just sad. The deteriorating state of security. The lack of safety and the opportunity to get rid of someone like this.

However, this here is deliberate killings, there we’re two hooded persons, who was motorcycle driving with the intent to assassinate Abiriga. You don’t do this sort of thing without careful planning. Therefore, someone knew of this and knew his car well. His yellow suits, so if someone wanted to carry this out. They would easily spot him and being able to follow him. They must have monitored him, before they ended his life.

What can for certainly know is that the NRM and the President is going to use this, to again proclaim CCTV Cameras and other bold statements to secure the investigation. But when coming to delivering that. It will be lackluster and lack of delivering up to promise. Neither have I faith that the investigation or individuals behind the murder will get caught. Since other killers has gotten away with it, just like the kidnappers do too.

These senseless killings, the sudden end of life and the death of the innocent is just sad. We might disagree with the NRM and their ways, but we don’t want them dead. We want to seek other means to get a peaceful transition in the future. This here is just wrong on all levels. All assassinations like these are wrong. You cannot say otherwise.

That unknown men on motorcycles can ambush and assassinate someone is a worrying sign. That they can get away and not be caught is also worrying. All of this is just the meager state of security, that even MPs can be touched and taken away. They can be left astray and left in limbo. The state doesn’t have the ability to secure their passage and their lives.

Abiriga, I disagreed on almost everything you stand-for and everything you did. But you didn’t deserve to end this way. This is a betrayal of the state and their institutions, that you ended this way. No one should get this final goodbye. No one should get this final goodbye. This is not the way to do it. Peace.

Opinion: Taxes get levied deliberately, not by a mistake!

Again, the Mobile Money and the Exercise Duty Tax Amendment of 2018 are proven to be without due diligence. There so many aspects that is left behind. This time it comes from the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) Matia Kasaija. Whose now is trying hard to wash his hands from the added taxes on the public. Like it would make a giant difference between a half percentage or 1 percentage of the transaction in taxes to the state. Yes, there is a difference and the cost are still hitting the public and making Mobile Money more expensive before even spending it.

This is the proof the National Resistance Movement (NRM), how they have rushed these taxes to please the President. Because there hasn’t been enough consultation or proof of the possible outcome of it. Other than some numbers hitting the wall and hopeful earnings for the state. The state needs revenue, but will they bill themselves into more trouble, as they are hitting the poorest the most. Which doesn’t use banking services. They use Mobile Money for their transfers and use the Cellphones for their transactions. That is why is worrying for the public.

The Excuse from the Minister:

““The NRM caucus and Cabinet sat and agreed on 0.5% instead of 1%. I don’t know what happened,” he said. Last week, Parliament passed a 1% tax on mobile money as part of the Excise Duty amendment Bill. The opponents of this tax say that the 1% tax on mobile money will hurt the economy, its people and it is counterproductive. “I am sorry. I was out of the country when it was passed. I will have a discussion with the President and maybe by the time I read the budget next week, a solution will have been found,” Kasaija said” (Wamala, 2018).

It help to be on vacation. I wonder if the President did the same during the Age Limit debacle, as he traveled around the globe. While the skirmishes was happening in the Parliament. Now the Minister says the same. That he now will try to fix it. No matter if he reverse it, it will still add more cost to the consumers and the ones who needs the Mobile Money. A service that is needed, as the banking system isn’t for everyone and neither is the day-to-day lives of many able to even be parts of it. That is because the state has left these groups of unemployed and poor behind.

What still worries me, is that there are no scope of the possible effect and what it will do to the economy. If there will substantial growth or down-turn. If certain groups that is hit, will be worse of and struggle more. Then the question is, will the added revenue be used in other parts of the economy to boost their need for services or just to pay off old debt?

Because, these taxes will be felt by the amounts of people who struggle, who has little or nearly none. There are plenty of them. These will pay-off huge sums for them, because this is subtracted directly from their salaries and sales as hawkers and traders, farmers and whatnot. Just sending money to relatives in up-country will be more costly. This is clearly just sending the memo, that the digital age is in for the taking and the advantages are becoming more expensive.

This wasn’t error, this was deliberate, even if you we’re away Mr. Kasaija. You can try to save face, but its better to reverse before speaking out. This is you trying to look good for the spotlight before addressing the Parliament. That is all. Peace.

Reference:

Wamala, Maria – ‘Mobile money tax was passed in error – Kasaija’ (05.06.2018) link: https://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1479138/mobile-money-tax-passed-error-kasaija

Uganda: Woman’s March dispersed by Police – As activists fights for the plight of the kidnapped woman!

Today was a day activists and especially Dr. Stella Nyanzi had a Woman’s March in Kampala. Going to the Inspector General of Police John Martins Okoth Ochola at the Police Headquarters to demonstrate with coffins to show the ignorance and the lack of care for all the kidnappings of woman in the Republic. Clearly, the Police Force was acting it is has done before. Instead of going into dialogue with the protesters. They went into warfare and skirmishes. As this little group was whisked away and the house of the IGP was shielded like a fortress with Police Officer in Anti-Riot Gear.

Some called this the Woman’s March, other in the slogan of Woman Lives Matters. 7 Activists was taken today, even some whose part of Chapter Four Uganda. Who also was protesting today. This shows that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) proves they are not there for freedom, liberty or even freedom of speech. As they are not allowed to speak up against the kidnappings.

All these activists was arrested with unlawful assembly and left on bond after being arrested earlier in the day. This was not at the same place as the demonstration. They were all taken to Jinja Road Police Station. That is typical of how these police officers works, as they usually does the same. To take the leaders from the protests and marches, even political rallies and drop them off further away. So the rest of leadership has to leave the premises and try to get them out on bond. As simplistic tactic to disperse the protesters.

They we’re peacefully walking to the Police Headquarters to deliver a letter and the police went all out. With all their gear and massive spark of outrage. They went into this with peaceful means. They came with coffins and a letter. To prove their point of the fragile lives, that is taken away and that the rampant kidnappings. This is happening a year after the deaths of woman in and around Entebbe. Which still is left unresolved, as the matter is on print. There is so many cases so many lives taken by the criminals and left played around.

That is the insecurity the NRM was supposed to fight and create. Instead it has gotten worse with time. The proof of with the rampant kidnappings and the deaths of innocent civilians. That is what it all boils down too. The demeaning way people are losing their lives, innocent woman who are just disappearing like garbage. When they are equals, citizens who has rights to justice and rule of law. Who are supposed to be protected and secured by the Police and other Security Organizations. The lack of that create a vacuum and the need for protest comes.

The need for organizing marches and question the powers for their lack of care becomes needed. Because the state isn’t answering to the plights of these people. They are left alone until they vanish, goes away and never returns. Used as pawns and used as bargaining chips to get a pay-off. That is what is happening. Peace.

My letter to Janet Museveni: Stop mocking the parents whose living in poverty!

Dear Janet Museveni!

I am writing to you again, because of your statements to the Ugandan parents who isn’t apparently feeding their kids. Because this is epidemic and systemic default from your mans long-term government and his lack of integrity and also lack of building resilient institutions. Because all has to go through your husband, Yoweri. Therefore, he can write a letter and reappoint people your firing. Since he is the head, not only of the household, but also the Republic.

However, that is knowledge you already knew, Janet. That is why this is insulting, what you said in a Press Briefing today:

““It tells us something about selfishness that there are fathers who use Shs1000 for alcohol every day and mothers who spend money doing their hair and working on their nails but cannot buy containers to pack food for their children,” Ms Museveni said” (Daily Monitor – ‘Parents must feed their children or face the law, says Janet Museveni’ 02.06.2018 link:http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Parents-must-feed-their-children-face-the-law-Janet-Museveni/688334-4592282-4dh2vaz/index.html )

I find it selfish of you to single people out and to put everyone in one bracket. When you know the state of the budget, the misuse of government funds, the lack of funds for salaries for civil servants and teachers. The own ministry your running is controlling dozens upon dozens of depleted schools and lack of accountability. Therefore, you should be careful addressing others. When your not the perfect princess you want to be.

Janet, it is the government fault, that there are lack of jobs, lack of opportunities for the graduates from college and university and all the other compromised situations that your government is in control off. You should fix government, before blaming the poor for lack structure and lack of giving way. This belittling the poor, because you have the State House and all the riches of the world. Your entitled to be queen, while others struggle from hand to mouth. Not like the ones who are poor is deciding they don’t want to give food to their kids. But they have no option, because of the systems your government put in place or didn’t care about. Your reckless behavior, your vultures and your thieves are the reason for this poverty.

You Janet and the whole royal cabinet. Should look into yourselves, all your activities and all your policies, all the transactions and all the unaccountable funds and ask yourself. Did you do enough? Did you? Did you really do enough?

The earlier preliminary report released last September had showed there was an increase in poverty levels from 19.7 per cent to 27.7 per cent. The current figure now puts the total number of poor Ugandans who cannot afford three meals a day to eight million” (MARTIN LUTHER OKETCH – ‘Poverty level increases to 21.4 per cent, says UBOS’ 18.01.2018 link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Poverty-level-increases-per-cent-UBOS/688334-4268774-format-xhtml-ubneas/index.html).

When one your watch there is 8 million Ugandans who cannot afford three meals a day, that is your fault and your mistake. That isn’t only the parents. Some parents are bad and do bad with the money. But I doubt that 8 million are drinking, getting boozed up beyond intelligence and getting pedicure. Lets that be clear. Unless, the NRM has configured the stats on that too.

This is disgraceful, that you did this and mocked this people. Instead of figuring out ways of making it better for 8 million Ugandans. You are lecturing them and blaming them, calling them alcoholics and wasting money on luxurious items. That is by the way rich coming from you, as your administration is overspending on the State House and on your family. The wealth and the funds which is around the President is enormous and vast.

Mrs. Janet, there are so much you can do with your power and influence, but you have decided not to care. Your acting as a lecturer, but your actions are lacking any moral substance. If you did care and if your husband cared. There wouldn’t be 8 million in poverty and lacking three meals a day in the Republic. Your family and your husband has had three decades to fix this. Apparently, you haven’t tried.

8 millions are not alcoholics. That is impossible.

Step your game up. Act within reason and be rational. Not demean them, because your responsible, not only for the Ministry of Education and Sports, but for what your bed-mate is doing too.

Best Regards

Writer of MinBane

Museveni stop blaming everyone else!

Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws” – Plato

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni cannot accept rejection, neither defeat, he never has. That is in his veins, he cannot accept being beaten, even when he used all the tricks in his book, paying out funds, using the police and military to intimidate. Still his party the National Resistance Movement (NRM) lost in the 31st May Rukungiri By-Election to the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate for the Woman-MP seat.

What I have to say, is that Museveni always blames everyone else. If the taxes isn’t good enough or made with provision, which handle the reality of the day, it is either Uganda Revenue Authority fault of the Ministry of Planning, Finance and Economic Development (MoPFED). Because it couldn’t be his fault, it never is.

If the lack of organization between all security organizations is never his fault. It is not Museveni who has appointed and given the ISO, ESO, UPF and UPDF the mandates they have. No no, it is the generals who lacks their duty and the police officers whose not educated enough. Not that the state hasn’t sufficient protocol or budgets to actually do their jobs. That is another issue.

It is never Museveni’s fault when there is a new Cholera Outbreak or the health care system is failing. No no, that is the local government, who doesn’t have a dime to buy a cookie, but him in his private plane cannot be blamed. That the hospitals lacks equipment, medicine and even ability to pay their electricity bills. However, that is not to blame Museveni. No everything is fine and dandy, as long as his ministers in the Health Ministry can fly to India for treatment. Don’t blame Museveni, he hasn’t done anything wrong.

If the roads are full of potholes and you have to ride like a drunk on a straight road ahead. It isn’t Museveni’s fault. It is always Uganda National Roads Authority, Local Governments Councils and the developers whose tenders was given by the central government. The deals and arrangement is never Museveni’s fault, even when he allows the likes of Dott Services to continue their forgeries and mockery of road development.

It is never Museveni’s fault, when the education system is becoming a tragic stink. That he hasn’t invested in salaries, in the buildings or equipment to the students. Not able to secure lunch meals for the kids either. Teachers working to jobs, having gardens and boda-boda businesses on the side, as the teachers salaries are not paying enough on the low-level. But that is not your fault, because the State House, Office of Prime Minister and such is eating such a load of the yearly budget. Still, the Ministry of Education and lack of governance. Can only be the principals and others, but not you. No no.

So the list could go on. It is never Museveni’s fault, the Gods knows that. He is innocent, he is never guilty. Museveni is the Saint of Uganda, the greatest man ever to grace the hills and valleys of Uganda. No can ever be on the level of Museveni. He is the grandest king and his holiness, he is the one whose never done a fly anything. He cannot do mistakes.

Just like the pope in the Catholic Church has the teaching of Papal infallibility, where in general the pope cannot fail. It is a misconception, however, the idea is fitting. As Musveni are clearly never able to fall or do wrong. He got a gift like that, if it was so. Why isn’t the golden gates already popping by at the State House of Entebbe? Why isn’t Uganda industrialized and Modernized in the perfect vision of Museveni?

He has had 32 years to do it and still haven’t achieved it. Time to take the cross and carry it. Peace.

Lack of Due Diligence on the Exercise Duty Amendment Bill of 2018!

The nine page memo on the Exercise Duty Bill Amendment of 2018 is an insult to everyone who cares about governance. The leaked Report from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). Is really just a carbon copy of the initial taxes and rubber stamping the bill without any considerable efforts, arguments or questions to the new taxes.

It is weird that the MoFPED can get away with lax work and lack of work ethic, lack of reasonable numbers and crunches of statistics. Proof that this is actually good for society, that the new taxes on Mobil Communications, Mobile Money and Cooking Oil is of an calibre good. Alas, that is not the case, the report isn’t spelling out that. It is just saying, That it is just unfair that ones actually calling is paying taxes, but the ones using mobile data is not. However, isn’t the Telecommunication Companies already paying huge level of taxes on their profits of every sale of airtime? So now just topping it off by adding taxes on Social Media Apps and on Mobile Money? Also the VAT on the Airtime as well?

You have the tax on the airtime, tax on the profits on the airtime; you will have tax on the usage of social media and mobile money. Meaning the state gets revenue from nearly all aspects of usage of the phones. Soon you cannot open anything without withdrawing money from your account as the state is billing you extra for the top services. They are calling this “over the top service” sort of like all the benefits the Members of Parliament has and is billing on the Republic.

Therefore, reading this report, that no one questioned it or had any concern, that no one said anything or looked into the amount of usage and the cost on the cell-phone user. Neither, the added cost on the basic household for any of the new taxes. Show a unpleasant disregard for the hardships of the citizens in question. You cannot expect to be enlighten on 9 pages of a report, you cannot, because your not digging deep into a problem or a situation on a 4 page brief. Your just touching the subject matter and disregarding the issues at hand. The Parliament has recklessly added this taxes, as the President ordered in his letter. The letter from 12th March 2018 dubbed “Re: Lack of Seriousness in Tax Collection”. As they are just following his words and not considering any implications. That is what is bugging me.

If these was serious MPs who cared about the constituents and the citizens in general, before imposing taxes, they would see what estimates and who would be hit. Secondly, what it would do with quality of life and consequences for the poorest of the Republic. That is if they cared about that. Apparently, they don’t, because they are just whistling after the President and his every whims.

The people should be insulted by their MPs and their lack of understanding, their lack of concern. They should be ashamed to have this sort of people representing them. That they cannot have any of these following government bodies to do, due diligence on the amendment:

Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED), and Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MICT).

All of these should have delivered some sort of report and proper framework, the actual costs and the implications of these taxes on Mobile Money and Social Media Tax. However, the didn’t do that, because they don’t care.

Neither did URA or MoFPED. They just didn’t care to put in the work and show the reality of these proposals. They are just blindly following the blind, aka the President. That is what they do and people have to suffer because of it. Paying much more for service, being invoiced as long as they have the possibility to use the services. That is what the Exercise Duty does, that is what the state do to its citizens. Peace.