Standing Firm on the Kerosene Tax

Forum for Women in Democracy did not relent on her position to stand against exploitation of the poor masses. Like never before we were determined to see that the 200 shillings tax is scrapped off. However that was not the case. On Wednesday 8^th October 2014, the parliament of Uganda showed again that it is insensitive to the needs of the poor. 

This was a desperate move to save the wretched of the earth after President Museveni rejected three Bills and returned them to Parliament for further consideration consequently opposing Parliament’s decision to scrap the tax on Kerosene. This entire move followed Finance minister Maria Kiwanuka’s 2014/2015 Budget speech in which she proposed a tax of Shs200 on a litre of kerosene to help the government raise Shs15 billion.

While the women’s movement thought that the president’s view is noble,  the question that lingered is, should it be the poor that bear the burden of such taxes yet there could be alternative sources of raising revenue? 

According to UNHS 2009, 79% of the population in rural areas uses kerosene-based lighting. An average Ugandan household spends between USD 4 and 10 per month on kerosene for lighting an extra cost on kerosene for a poor Ugandan is inopportune. Not even a tax waiver on the importation of solar equipment and funding from agencies like the World Bank has helped to increase solar usage in the Country. Most of the rural households cannot afford solar energy. 

Even with the loud cry, the Members of Parlaiment that represent the poor turned a deaf ear.

So as Uganda celebrated independence, it was time to reflect on where we are as a country.  As women how can we be more concerned about the state of affairs of our nation because it is the women are that are mostly affected by bad policies. Unfortunately, when the government fails in public service delivery, women are forced to bear the burden for instance; when the government fails to provide water in communities, women are forced to travel longer distances to collect it, when there are no beds in hospitals, women are forced to sleep longer on the floors, when there are no drugs in hospitals women have an extra burden as they are more often the care takers. When women are silent, bad decisions are made for them and the country.

Forum for women in democracy is committed to continue being a voice for the poor especially the women that bear the face of poverty in Uganda.  

A woman representing women from the markets around Kampala reading out a press statement Photo by FOWODE