MAKERERE – Police in Kampala are holding two Makerere University students for storming Parliament protesting the newly implemented social media tax.
The two were arrested on Monday, July 2 while trying to access parliament premises through the main gate, but police intercepted and instead took them to the Central Police Station (CPS).
The duo claimed they were delivering a petition containing reasons justifying their cause to the office of the speaker Rebecca Kadaga.
The arrests came on a day after, five concerned citizens and an IT firm, Cyber Law Initiative petitioned the Constitutional court for orders to anull the new social media tax of shs200 per day which is to be paid by all social media users.
The petitioners want court to block the new law claiming it infringes on people’s rights to information.
Forum for democratic change have also rejected the social media and mobile money taxes and asked President Museveni to recall it saying the tax will impede the development of the communications industry.
Paul Mwiru, the FDC spokesperson said the taxes are prohibitive to prosperity “since many people will resort to dodging the tax.”
“A number of people are already devising means of avoiding the tax,” Mwiru said adding that the tax has left others stranded because they conduct their business online.
