This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
On July 16, 2019, Uganda's social media tax, introduced just a year prior, had collected a mere 17% of the expected revenue.
The shortfall was attributed to the widespread use of virtual private networks (VPNs) and wireless networks, which allowed citizens to circumvent the daily tax of around $0.05.
The Ugandan Revenue Authority, led by Doris Akol, acknowledged the issue, stating that the tax was intended to raise additional funds for the government.
However, the levy was met with resistance, with street protests erupting in response to the tax and concerns that it was part of a broader effort to stifle free speech and prevent social media from being used to organize peaceful protests.
