A section of influential leaders in Uganda have called on the government to abandon the “over-the-top” (OTT) tax aka social media tax to enable Ugandans easy access to information in the wake of the looming COVID -19
Following the President’s order on a 32-day partial lockdown on mass gatherings on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, that include places of worship, academic and tertiary institutions, political and cultural meetings, social events among others, most people would have to resort to social media for information.
Museveni indicated that religious leaders would borrow a leaf from the pope and use televised messages on radio and television to deliver their messages to their followers.
“Religious leaders can use the TVs, Radio stations to continue preaching. His Holiness, Pope Francis, as usual set a good example of enlightenment on this by abandoning his customary preaching in St. Peters’ Square and is instead, using the TV”.
As a result, several religious entities have resorted to using digital technologies and tools such as Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter and You-Tube among other social media tools, as a way of engaging their audiences.
The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Orthodox Church in Uganda (EOC), the Most Reverend Jacinto Kibuuka announced since they suspended all physical gatherings, they are now left with social media as one tool to access their audiences which would be a lot easier without restrictions.
Kibuuka wants the government to scrap off OTT so that the gospel, fellowship, and spirituality of the nation can continue.
Human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza and managing partner at Kiiza & Mugisha Advocates says at a time as this, the government needs to ensure that access to public health communication can be exploited in online platforms that the majority of Ugandans subscribe to are free.
No confirmed case of the COVID-19 has so far been confirmed in Uganda although seven countries surrounding Uganda like Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, DRC, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Egypt have all confirmed more than 3 cases.
Museveni in his address encouraged Ugandans to constantly wash hands even after touching surfaces, avoid touching soft parts of the body which include the eyes, nose and mouth, sneezing and cough into disposable tissue or handkerchiefs that are properly washed and ironed and Eat lots of Vitamin C rich foods to boost the immune system.
“As you heard, the virus only enters the body through the soft parts of the body: the mouth, the nose, and the eyes. Even if the surfaces are contaminated with the virus and you touch those surfaces, yes the virus will be on your hand”.
