Africa-Press – Uganda. A total of 32 radio and television stations have sued government and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), challenging the recently levied trade licence fees that they say subject them to double taxation.
The radio stations under the Uganda Media Owners Association, in their law suit filed before the Kampala High Court on Tuesday, say it is unfair for government to levy on them licence fees yet they already pay similar annual fees to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
Ms Evelyn Ochakachon, the general secretary of the Uganda Media Owners Association, in her affidavit to support the case, avers that in 2017, the minister of Trade amended the trade licencing Act.
This, she says, saw radio and television stations operating satellite connection compelled to pay trade licence fees.
“This court has passed several rulings in which businesses and trades, which are already regulated and licenced under different legal regimes, have been exempted from paying the trade licence to the 1st respondent (government) and to any local government administration in Uganda,” Ms Ochakachon avers.
The broadcasters, among others, want court to determine whether KCCA has the mandate to levy trade licence fees on them in light of the recent court decisions. They also want court to rule whether KCCA should refund the licence fees (about Shs94m) it has been collecting from them since 2017.
The complainants include Kfm and Dembe FM, trading as Monitor Publications Ltd, NBS Television and NTV Uganda.
LIST OF THE MEDIA HOUSES
Kfm & Dembe fm, trading as Monitor Publications LtdRadio OneAkaboozi fmAfrica FMBasogabaino FmBuddu FmCBS FmGalaxy FmFm HoldingsSignal FmNamirembe FmXfmOpen Gate Fm NBS televisionPower FmSanyu FmTouch FmSpice FmVoice of KigeziSuper stationRadio CityVision radioRadio PacisLiberty FmCrooze FmVoice of KamweNgeBBS televisionNTV-UgandaVoice of ToroNkabi broadcasting serviceCapital radioDigida radioHot 100
