The youths in politics, media and the creative industry have petitioned the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Ruhakana Ruganda to move a motion repealing the Social Media and Mobile Money taxes by noon Friday.
The MPs Robert Kyagulanyi of Kyadondo East, Gerald Karuhanga of Ntungamo Municipality, musicians, bloggers, comedians and social media influencers have also asked Rebecca Kadaga, the speaker of Parliament to recall MPs from recess to discuss the said repulsion.
“If they don’t repeal the taxes, we are going mobilize the entire country to fight for their rights and we will win,” Kyagulanyi said.
With most business payments being integrated with mobile money payment systems and others with automated scheduled payments, the taxes are likely to hurt youth financial inclusion and raise the cost of doing business.
“Our businesses (which pay tax) don’t have money for huge billboards. We market through social media. These taxes affect our visibility and therefore our sales. We must reject them,” MP Karuhanga noted.
“This government is suffering from tax addiction. They will tax anything from vegetables to water and very soon, they will begin taxing our short calls and long calls,” he added.
Karuhanga condemned the selective and double taxation on data bundles which he said is taxed over four times.
The taxes might be lawful but they’re not illegitimate for they’re unreasonable, insensitive and not well founded and therefore should be rejected.