Civil society organizations (CSOs) have collected 3,216 petition letters from district councilors and citizens across all regions of the country to pressurize the president into not signing the Income Tax Amendment Bill, 2016 in its current form.
This was announced by Julius Mukunda the coordinator civil society budget advocacy group during a press conference in Kampala today morning.
According to Mukunda, after their march on Thursday last week in Kampala, they took it to Acholi, Kigezi, Bunyoro and Teso regions where at least 500 citizens joined them.
They are against a move by members of parliament to exempt themselves from paying taxes off their allowances.
“We are concerned that ever since the Bill was returned to the president, its where about is unknown and this is detrimental to the Domestic Revenue Mobilization efforts in the country with a potential loss of 53.4bn Shillings.”
According to Mukunda MPs like any other citizens should pay taxes especially with the struggling economy Uganda is currently experiencing.
“In an economy that is struggling to grow, create jobs, a banking sub sector that is limping, a depreciating shilling, increasing deficit, both in the budget and current account, ensuring that a strong legal and policy framework for DRM is needed more than ever. It is therefore that every citizen, including MPs pay their fair share of tax” Mukunda added.
The CSOs demand that if the president is to pass the Bill in its current form, it should be quickly gazette so that they prepare the legal battle.
“We promise Ugandans and all concerned citizens that the struggle for a just and fair taxation system has started and we have no plans to relent until Clause 21 of the Bill is repealed” Mukunda said.
Sec 21 (1) will exempt MPs from paying income tax on their allowances.
Mukunda indicates that they will continue to organize nationwide campaign to educate citizens on the negative implication of clause 21 in the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
“Should our president feel the pressure to sign, we advise that since democracy is priceless, a referendum on the matter is the right way to let the citizens decide whether MPs should pay taxes on their allowances.”
