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Source: APO

The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development is seeking tax waivers for three organisations amounting to over Shs16.8 billion. 
The requests to waive taxes for Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC), K-Roma Limited and Ankole Western University were laid before Parliament by the Minister for Finance, Hon. Henry Musasizi on Tuesday, 14 July 2026. 
The sitting of the House was chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa. 
Section 43(2) of the Tax Procedures Code Act provides that where a taxpayer’s case is referred to the minister by URA and the minister is satisfied that the tax due cannot be effectively recovered on grounds of financial hardship, the minister shall, with the approval of Parliament, remit the tax owed by the taxpayer.

The UPPC is seeking a waiver of over Shs13 billion due a decline in the corporation’s revenue from Shs19 billion to Shs8 billion in 2002 and further to Shs6 billion which is said to reflect an operational instability. 
It is also noted that the company has a significant proportion of overdue receivables with over 90 per cent of clients being government entities with delayed payments and over 50 percent outstanding for over one year.
“The corporation’s obsolete machinery has reduced productivity and competitiveness resulting in loss of business to cheaper competitors particularly on Nasser Road,”, the letter from the ministry states in part.

The ministry is also seeking a waiver of Shs1.8 billion for K-Roma Limited, a local manufacturer of Bella Wine.

The company’s cash position has reduced over a three-year period from Shs13 million in 2023 to Shs4.3 million in 2025 and that the net cash flows remain negative across all the years. 
“The tax payer attributes the financial difficulties to a decline in sales, partly arising from the post-COVID19 operating environment. In addition, the company is under pressure to develop the allocated land in Namanve Industrial Park, failure of which may result in its withdrawal by the Uganda Investment Authority,” the paper from the ministry states further.

The waiver for Ankole Western University of Shs1 billion is attributed to the decline in the institution’s revenue as a result of religious-political crisis with the Ankole Diocese between 2013 and 2015 which led to governance breakdown, and existence of parallel university councils. 
“Loss of public trust as well as effects of COVID-19 which disrupted operations reduced enrolment and necessitated the restructuring of existing loans, compounding the university’s financial burden,” the ministry adds.

The ministry also notes that the university’s indebtedness as of 31 December 2025 stood at over Shs2.8 billion.

However, some Members of Parliament demanded to know the criteria  government follows to consider companies for tax waivers.

Kalungu County West MP, Hon. Ssewungu Gonzaga demanded to know the processes used to grant waivers to local companies especially when there are many others struggling in the similar circumstances.

Kassanda North County Representative, Hon. Patrick Oshabe wondered why the ministry is seeking a waiver of over Shs13 billion for one company when the audit of Shs8.5 billion was carried out. 
“We need to have a discussion on who qualifies for waivers. We need to bring on board the audit process when making these considerations and also consider all the other companies and not just a few,” he said.

Minister Musasizi committed to provide details to Parliament detailing how companies can have access to the waivers.
“We will provide details on how taxpayers can get waivers. It is good for transparency because we hold these roles in trust of the people who put us in these offices. It is authentic to know what we are doing,” he added.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa referred the request to the Committee on Finance for consideration. 
 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO – Report:

The Ministry of Health has been urged to improve its malaria case-management particularly in schools, following the plasmodium falciparum strain that has been reported as the most prevalent in the country.

Hon. Andrew Kaluya (NUP, Kigulu County South) said the malaria strain affecting mainly children below 15 years has caused grave concern among parents.
“Schools are not handling the issue of treatment very well. I implore the Ministry of Health together with the Ministry of Education to emphasise that schools must have proper sick bays and nurses to manage cases of malaria appropriately,” Kaluya added.

Research on the malaria strain indicates that school going children are a major transmission reservoir driving up to 50 per cent of community infections because they carry asymptomatic parasites, with partial resistance to treatment.

The Minister for Health, Hon. Chris Baryomunsi alluded to studies indicating that the parasite prevalence among Ugandans has substantially declined from 43 per cent in 2009 to 13 per cent currently.
This, he said, indicated success in government’s malaria interventions but added that there have been seasonal surges in infections between the months of May and July and September to November.
“Our malaria control programme working with the school health programme has mounted a big campaign and response targeting schools. But since it is a big issue, I have instructed the team at the ministry to work 24/7. I will bring a comprehensive paper outlining the interventions we are pursuing,” Baryomunsi said.

The ministry recently partnered with organisations including Pilgrim Africa to execute the ‘School Malaria Project’ that includes targeted indoor residual spraying in classrooms and dormitories in highly endemic districts.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa rallied lawmakers to participate in the malaria walk organised by Parliament later this month.
“I encourage you to come out in big numbers because we will be joined by the civil society, diplomatic community and health practitioners to create awareness on how Ugandans can prevent malaria,” said Tayebwa.

– on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Source: APO – Report:

President Dr Patrick Herminie, on the second day of his visit to La Réunion, attended this afternoon, as guest of honour, a reception hosted by the Prefect of La Réunion, Mr Patrice Latron, in the gardens of the Hôtel de Préfecture, in celebration of France’s National Day.

The reception brought together the Prefect, the Ambassador of France to Seychelles, elected officials and other dignitaries from across La Réunion. President Herminie was accompanied by First Lady Mrs Veronique Herminie, along with Seychelles Ministers, Principal Secretaries and other guests present at the gathering. The event featured successive remarks from the Prefect and President Herminie, followed by a convivial cocktail accompanied by a musical performance.

In his toast, President Herminie, speaking in French on behalf of the Seychellois people and Government, expressed his profound gratitude to the Prefect and the authorities of La Réunion for the warm welcome extended to his delegation. He conveyed his warmest congratulations to President Emmanuel Macron, the French Government and the people of France on the occasion of Bastille Day, describing the values of liberty, equality and fraternity as a continuing inspiration to nations committed to peace, democracy and human dignity.

The President noted the particular significance of this year’s celebrations, coming only days after Seychelles marked the fiftieth anniversary of its independence, and as France and Seychelles simultaneously celebrate fifty years of diplomatic relations, first established in 1976. He reflected on ties between the two nations reaching back further still, recalling France’s role as the first colonial power in Seychelles and the shared origins of the Seychellois nation.

Building on this shared history, President Herminie underlined the privileged place La Réunion occupies in the France-Seychelles relationship, citing the cultural, linguistic and family ties that unite the two peoples, and reaffirmed Seychelles’ conviction that regional cooperation remains the surest path towards a safer, more resilient and more prosperous future, particularly on maritime security, climate change, ocean preservation and sustainable development.

He closed by reaffirming Seychelles’ commitment to deepening its partnership with La Réunion and France and invited guests to raise a toast to President Macron, to the French Republic, and to lasting friendship between France, La Réunion and Seychelles.

Earlier that day, Tuesday 14 July, President Herminie was the guest of honour at the Bastille Day celebrations, marked by a military parade in which the Seychelles Defence Forces took part.

– on behalf of State House Seychelles.

Source: APO

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President Museveni has declined to assent to the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2026 returning them back to Parliament for reconsideration, warning that some proposed measures would create unfair competition among businesses, encourage tax avoidance, and negatively affect the economy.

The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2026 were considered and passed by the 11th Parliament ahead of the budget reading and new financial year starting in July 2026.

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, who presided over the House sitting on 14 July 2026 said that President Museveni had raised objections to specific clauses in both bills, particularly provisions dealing with withholding tax on betting winnings and a sharp increase in excise duty on single-use plastics.

“The President is against the passing into law of Clause 11 of the Income Tax Amendment Bill, 2026,” Tayebwa said.

Clause 11 sought to introduce a withholding tax on winnings from betting and gaming activities but contained an exemption for winnings obtained from land-based casinos licensed under the Lotteries and Gaming Act, 2016.

Museveni argued that the exemption would create an uneven playing field between different categories of gaming operators while opening opportunities for tax avoidance.

In his communication to Parliament, the President warned that exempting land-based casinos from withholding tax could encourage businesses to restructure transactions in ways designed to minimise tax obligations.

“The exemption creates opportunities for tax avoidance and revenue leakage,” Museveni said in his communication to Parliament.

He further questioned why two businesses engaging in substantially similar economic activities should face different tax treatment.

“There is no justification for exempting one category while taxing the other,” he argued.

The President was also against the proposed increase in excise duty on single-use plastics as provided for in the Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2026. Parliament had approved an increase from the existing rate of 2.5 percent or US$70 per tonne, to 25 percent or USS 1, 500 per tonne, whichever is higher.

While the proposal was intended to strengthen environmental protection measures and discourage plastic pollution, Museveni argued that the increase was too drastic and could trigger unintended economic consequences.

“The proposed increase is substantial and is likely to impose significant cost pressures on manufacturers engaged in the production and use of single-use plastics,” he said.

He warned that higher costs could affect production, investment and employment in the plastics sector.

Museveni also noted that Uganda’s manufacturing sector is not yet fully prepared to transition to alternative packaging materials. 

“Viable alternatives to plastic packaging are not yet readily available in Uganda,” he said.

The President recommended further study before implementing the increase as an environmental policy measure.

Beyond the substance of the tax proposals, Parliament also confronted procedural questions over whether the bills should be reconsidered by the new Parliament.

Bbale County MP, Hon. Charles Tebandeke wondered whether the two bills should not return through fresh legislative procedures having been originally considered by the previous Parliament.

“The law assumes that the 11th Parliament that was handling these bills was dissolved and the matter was overtaken by events,” Tebandeke said.

The Deputy Speaker Tayebwa rejected the claim that the President had delayed beyond the constitutional timeline. He reminded legislators that the Constitution provides that, the President must either assent to a Bill or return it to Parliament within 30 days after receiving it.

“The Constitution is very clear, 30 days from the date it is presented to him or her,” Tayebwa said. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.