Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has mounted a strong defense for his government’s recently announced social media tax policy.
The tax regime which affects social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook has taken effect from this month.
Uganda’s Parliament last month passed the law that imposes a tax of $0.05 daily for each social media user.
Museveni’s defense
In the face of criticisms, Museveni has taken to social media platform, Facebook to explain why the tax policy is needed.
He said users are enriching foreign-owned telecoms companies without the country’s economy benefiting.
The President said social media users are “endlessly donating money to foreign telephone companies through chatting or even lying”.
Museveni described social media as a “luxury by those who are enjoying themselves or those who are malicious…all the moral reasons are in favour of that tax”.
Court challenge to tax Policy
The latest social media tax system is facing a legal challenge after a group of activists filed a petition in court.
The petition filed to the constitutional court last week said the policy is awkward.
A lawyer for the petitioners, Daniel Bill Opio says the is unconstitutional.
Youths are taking on initiatives toward innovation and technology mostly using these … platforms. Once you introduce a tax … you are actually killing this budding entrepreneurship,” Opio added.
The controversial law affects users of all social media platforms accessing the internet.
More than 40 percent of people use the internet in Uganda but cost of data is high like in other African countries.
About 23.6 million people out of Uganda’s 41 million population use mobile phones and 17 million use the internet.
Source: Africafeeds.com
