KAMPALA– The two 2 concerned citizens; John Robert Turyakira and Anthony Odur who had petitioned High court challenging the one percent tax levied against Mobile Money depositors, have withdrawn part of their case against URA and the 3 Telecom companies.
Through their Lawyer Eron Kiiza, they appeared before the Court’s Deputy Registrar in charge of Civil Matters, Sarah Langa, yesterday July 23 and indicated that they are withdrawing the case having been overtaken by events, since there is no longer any taxation of Mobile Money depositors.
In the petition the two sued URA and all Ugandan Telecom companies including Airtel, MTN and Africel who are being used to collect this tax from their customers.
Complainants wanted court to issue an order requiring URA through the various mobile money providers to refund with interest, all taxes which were collected from deposits made on mobile money deposits on their accounts, before this tax was reverted.
However on July 13, the President said Ugandans who paid 1% percent mobile money tax should be refunded.
In a statement issued on Facebook, Museveni insisted that the 1 per cent tax which he ordered to be reduced to 0.5 percent was passed in error and he signed the bill knowing it had an error.
“I signed the law with the error because we could not delay the other measures. However, parliament, when it reconvenes, will be requested to correct it. The ones whose deductions had been made on the basis of 1% should have their money reimbursed,” said Museveni.
The Lawyers representing URA- Baruk Ronald, Rumoria Thomas and the Lawyer representing AIRTEL Richard Bwayo did not object to the partial withdrawal of this case, although they asked for costs to be ordered against the 2 citizens.
However Registrar Langa ruled that the costs of this application has to wait for the outcome of the remaining part of the case which is fixed for hearing on September 11, 2018 before Justice Musa Ssekaana.
They claim that the Telecom companies cannot ably account for the illegally collected money from depositors on behalf of URA.
