ANXIETY GRIPS UGANDANS AS MPS ENDORSE TAX ON PASSENGERS FLYING OUT OF UGANDA
By Correspondent
Parliament has adopted a draft of recommendations to revive the economy, currently battered by the Covid19 pandemic, key among which is the implementation of a Tourism Development Levy.
“The Committee proposes a levy of $10 to be charged on each ticket for every person who departs from Uganda by air transport,” said MP Mwine Mpaka, in recommendations unanimously adopted by the House.
Hon Mpaka is the Chairperson of the Committee on Trade and Industry, which went on a fact-finding mission to establish how trade could be reinvigorated, following setbacks due to Covid19 restrictions.
The House also adopted the manner in which the proceeds should be shared, with 70 per cent being proposed to cushion private sector players in the tourism sector.
The 70 per cent will be managed by Post Bank Uganda and the Ministries of Finance and Tourism will formulate a plan to guide access to the funds. 20 per cent is proposed to finance the aggressive marketing drive by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) and the 10 per cent reverts to the taxman, who is also in charge of collecting the funds.