NRM YOUTHS CONDEMN OTT TAX, DEMAND 30% OF ALL GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT DEALS

By Joshua Walakira

The top leadership of National Youth Council (NYC), which is 100% comprised of NRM youth leaders, has demanded that 30% of all government procurement deals be ring-fenced for companies owned/incorporated by the youths under the age of 36 years. Addressing a specially convened press conference at NYC offices in Ntinda, NYC General Secretary Ibrahim Kitata said this is one sure way to comprehensive tackle unemployment in Uganda where over 80% of the young people are unemployed.

Flanked by other NYC bosses including Chairperson Lillian Aber, Kitata said they have carried out research which clearly proves that all the other state interventions to halt violent crime and insecurity won’t succeed unless the problem of youth unemployment is decisively tackled. Kitata, who doubles as the national vice chairman for the NRM youth league, said whereas they appreciate Gender PS Pius Bigirimana’s individual efforts manifested in innovative programs like YLP, Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program and the Green Jobs/Songhai initiative, much more needs to be done to remarkably reverse the unemployment scourge. Reading out a statement that was signed by Aber, Kitata also demanded that another 30% of all the jobs in government Ministries Departments and Agencies be ring-fenced for the young people in a verifiable way. He argued that reserving 30% of all the available government opportunities for the youths who comprise over 80% of the population of Uganda wouldn’t be asking for too much. “There are many jobs in public service and government commissions for which the young people qualify and 30% isn’t asking for too much,” Kitata said.The NYC leaders at the same news conference also had no kind words for the government taxation policy which they said has lately been very crippling to the young people. Kitata said the NYC fraternity is “deeply concerned” with especially the OTT tax that was effective July 1^st imposed on users of social media platforms like facebook, whatsapp and twitter. Calling the OTT tax unfair, retrogressive and counterproductive, Kitata said the young people consequently feel discriminated against because these OTT platforms are the only communication channels they can afford as they go about accessing and sharing information regarding job opportunities. Kitata, himself a practicing economist, said the OTT just like the mobile money tax was “in bad faith because it constrains access to social media for the young people and the mobile money tax has complicated life for the poor people who are the majority and it’s the one they use as it’s conveniently accessible than any other avenue.” He said it must be scrapped to achieve and deepen social and financial inclusion of all people.

THE MEETING;

The press conference had been convened to unveil NYC activities that have been lined up to mark this year’s International Youth Day celebrations. To be presided over by the president, the national celebrations will be held at Kampiringisa Rehabilitation Center in Mpigi district under the theme: “Safe spaces for the youths.” It will be celebrated on 12^th August and will be preceded by a kasiki to be held at Police grounds Mpigi that will be combined with bull roasting by the youths. Other activities, according to the NYC, will including radio talk shows to harness advocacy for increased youth involvement in decision-making and participation in community works by youth in Kampala and Mpigi. There will also be painting of zebra crossings and tree plantingat Nsamizi Training Institute which is also in Mpigi. The NYC bosses also used the same media event to announce the upcoming NYC AGM that will take place at UMA Conference Hall Lugogo. The President is expected to grace that Lugogo meeting which the young people will use to lobby him more to endorse their proposal to ring-fence 30% of the procurement deals and MDAs jobs for the youths. Kitata rightly recognized that to achieve this, the law may have to be amended and this is something the President can cause using his parliamentary majority for his NRM party. Besides Aber and Kitata, the press conference was also addressed by NYC publicist Odongo Samuel who bashed MPs for being ambivalent on the issue of OTT. For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755.