Kampala: The Executive Director of Uganda Communications Commission Godfrey Mutabazi has vowed to direct telecommunication companies to block virtual private networks (VPN) applications used by Ugandans to evade paying of social media tax.
With the incentive of increasing tax base in the country, this financial year, government introduced excise duty tax where customers are required pay Shs200 on a daily basis, weekly or monthly through mobile money and Airtel money for one to be granted access to social media platforms.
Following government directives, yesterday telecom companies blocked access to social media platforms however, like in 2016 general elections; Ugandans have embarked on downloading VPN to access.
Speaking at UCC headquarters, Mutabazi said the telecom companies have started blocking VPN applications that are channeling citizens from paying excise duty tax, “some VPNs consume data worthy Shs200, it is good to pay and gain unlimited access to internet,” he said.
“All those going for VPN are taking unwise direction, it is better to pay tax for construction of roads, drugs in hospitals,
diversification of the economy and improvement in service delivery,” he said at UCC offices in Bugolobi.
He acknowledged that some VPN applications are unlocked but he however, insisted that with time, those applications will be no more, “if one incites the other to evade paying of tax, he/she is committing an offence that attracts seven years sentence in prison,”
VPNs allow users to securely access a private network and share data remotely through public networks.