Don’t ignore power of social media

I react to the story, ‘Government to tax Whatsapp, Facebook users, says Museveni’ (Sunday Monitor, April 1). Basing on the President’s remarks, I can say he was simply making a comment to attract his audience’s attention.

In his comment on taxing Whatsapp and Facebook users to avoid lugambo (idle talk) and raise revenue, I bet this can be traced back to wrong Facebook users, who misuse their platforms to attack or abuse government officials.

However, we shouldn’t overlook the merits of social media because of this shortcoming. Social media platforms can be used as the cheapest way to reaching very many people at very low cost. The President sent his Easter greetings to Ugandans using his Twitter and Facebook account.

In the corporate world, organisations and institutions have platforms (WhatsApp groups) used to disseminate vital information to human resources easily and quickly. Social media platforms are a source of academic work. We share academic information through WhatsApp. Internet is a great tool to base on in our Vision 2040 to achieve a middle income status.

Levying tax of Shs100 per day translates into Shs3,000 per month and Shs36,500 a year will deprive citizens of their right to access Internet. In other countries, use of Internet is a human right the government provided for free.

The Ministry of ICT availed WIFi in parts of Kampala - at Constitution Square accessed for free. If Ugandans, who access those areas can use Internet for free, why punish other Ugandans outside Kampala?

Some institutions and hospitals provide WIFI to their human resources, some people (not students) enter into the gates of Makerere University to access WIFi, to Facebook, WhatsApp and Tweet. Why charge such institution(s) for the Internet access?

I read Finance Minister Matia Kasaija’s comment and felt happy because of this plan. He is one of those whose bills are catered for by taxpayers’ money.

Why punish innocent Ugandans? The government hopes to raise Shs1.4 trillion from taxing social media users. But revenue alone should not blind government from providing free Internet access to Ugandans. There are other strategies that can be used to raise revenue without “torturing” Ugandans.

Civil Society Organisations have advised government to reduce expenditure on its officials’ foreign trips. The government has lost money through corruption, which if ended, will improve government savings. The money saved can be channelled towards other national priorities.

John Kiwanuka,
Ibanda