Top Kenyan sports betting company, SportPesa, a new entrant in Uganda’s gaming industry, has called for a better tax system in the country to enhance  betting and gaming activities.
The Chief Executive Officer Sportpesa, Ronald Karauri, made the appeal recently while meeting the Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah at Parliament.
Karauri said that the existence of informal gaming platforms in Uganda makes it difficult for authorities to tax them as they should since they are difficult to regulate.
“We would like the government to simplify the tax structure especially on withholding tax and tax on gross income. Charging a fee on the initial license and an annual fee would be a better idea. We believe that gross revenue is hard to monitor especially for informal betting shops,” Karauri said.
He proposed that gaming companies should be formally set up and monitored through an online platform in order to weed out the unscrupulous betting set ups. “This will help bring in more revenue and popularise the game,” he said.
Karauri said that SportPesa plans on sponsoring a variety of the local Clubs, especially Express FC, the Federation for Uganda Football Association and the national league.
The Deputy Speaker Oulanyah advised the company to lobby the government, stating that the amendment of any law comes with a proposal of government.
“Revenue laws come once in a year and they might come next year in May.  I suggest that you come in and be part of the change in the law instead of waiting for the proposed amendments to be made before establishing yourself,” Oulanyah said.
The Minister for Youth and Children Affairs, Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi said that SportPesa is primarily engaged in developing the sports sector worldwide.
SportPesa currently operates in Kenya, Tanzania and the United Kingdom, specialising in the development of sports.

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By Cynthia Tumwine

Entebbe is one of the most beautiful parts of Uganda. Set right beside Lake Victoria, it’s peaceful, serene and scenic nature makes it a common getaway destination. With the airport, beach and wildlife centre in Entebbe, it is a favourite local and foreign tourist location. The people are very warm and calm and it’s a short drive from the capital Kampala. Combine all these things with a top star hotel experience and you are in for a beautiful, unforgettable time.

Quality is one of the things most people look for in a product, service, relationship and more importantly a restaurant or hotel. If you live in Entebbe or like to take trips there to get away from the hectic life of Kampala then you should definitely check out Best Western Premier Garden Hotel. Just as it’s name suggests, if you get the opportunity to head there you will be sure to receive nothing but premier five-star treatment. Located at Victoria Mall Entebbe, right in the heart of the ever so beautiful and quiet town, Best Western Hotel has a striking garden area outside that catches your attention as soon as you arrive. With a concierge at the entrance to greet you and help you with any luggage and a valet service for your car, immediately you feel important and special. Walking in you are greeted with a very spacious, well lit lobby that has great artistic pieces hang all around.

On your right, there is a cute looking dining area at the Jacaranda restaurant where you can have lunch or dinner depending on the time you arrive. From Monday to Sunday they have a buffet spread that has quite the wide selection of food ranging from local to fancy delicious desserts. If you are the kind of person who prefers to order straight off the menu that too is possible and the it has quick-to-go-bites as well as main course dishes. One thing that is outstanding about the menu is that the drinks section is rich with so many options that you would definitely not fail to treat yourself. From Champagnes, to wines, vodkas, whiskeys and cocktails, they definitely have you sorted in that department from the fully stocked bar.

Guests can also unwind at the terrace bar-also known as The Ark Bar.

Three different conference rooms with capacity of between 25-350 guests are available for hire, travel desk to offer car hire and travel advice, complimentary Airport shuttle, an open gym, business centre, ample parking lot are available onsite. The premises are also guarded by security personnel supplemented by CCTV cameras. The fact that this hotel is strategically located at a mall means that you have access to other services like a Salon option, a bank and soon to be opened supermarket.

Saving the best for last, the rooms. The rooms at Best Western Hotel are absolutely breathtaking. Each with great additions depending on your preference (for example a balcony and a spa) if you like long relaxing baths.

Uganda Zaabu and this one of the many reasons why! To book your stay at Best Western Hotel Entebbe head to (travel.jumia.com)

The writer is the PR Manager at Jumia Travel Uganda

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A recent report indicates there were 420 million unique mobile subscribers in Sub-Saharan Africa as at the end of 2016, equivalent to a penetration rate of 43%. The region continues to grow faster than any other region; the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.1% over the five years to 2020 is around 50% higher than the global average.

The report by the Global System Mobile Association (GSMA), an association that represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, estimates that the region will have more than half a billion unique mobile subscribers by 2020, by which time around half the population will subscribe to a mobile service. The total number of SIM connections in the region reached 731 million at the end of 2016, and will rise to nearly 1 billion by 2020.

Less than a fifth of under-16 year-olds (who account for more than 40% of the population in most countries in the region) have a mobile subscription, while women were 17% less likely than men to own a mobile phone in 2016.

The uptake of mobile services by these underserved groups will, in large part, drive subscriber growth in the future. Four of the most populated markets in the region – DRC, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania – will account for nearly half the 115 million new subscribers expected by 2020.

Mobile broadband and smartphone adoption gain momentum

The number of mobile broadband connections will reach half a billion by 2020, more than double the number at the end of 2016, and will account for nearly two thirds of total connections in the region. 3G will remain the dominant mobile broadband technology for the foreseeable future, but 4G adoption is rising rapidly following increasing network rollout. As of March 2017, there were 97 live 4G networks in 39 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Smartphone connections in Sub-Saharan Africa have doubled over the past two years to nearly 200 million, accounting for a quarter of mobile connections in 2016. Key factors supporting the growth of smartphone adoption in the region include the increasing affordability of new devices and a growing market for second-hand devices. This trend, along with the uptake of mobile broadband services, is driving demand for digital content and, consequently, an increase in mobile data traffic. Traffic is forecast to grow twelvefold across Africa as a whole over the next five years.

Around 270 million people in the region access the internet through mobile devices, while the number of registered mobile money accounts reached 280 million as of March 2017.

Tech Hubs in Africa

The report further noted that there are more than 314 active tech hubs in 93 cities in 42 countries in Africa as of March 2017. South Africa has the highest number at 54, followed by Egypt at 28 while Kenya follows closely with 27 hubs.

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