Uganda has the world’s youngest population, with over 78% of its population below the age of 30, and with just under eight million youth aged 15–30, the country also has one of the highest unemployment rates in Sub-Saharan Africa.
As a result, youth in Uganda are greatly affected by the high rate of unemployment, while others have often had their businesses collapse due to various challenges, including high taxation by the government.
Boniface Okot, the youth member of Parliament for Northern Uganda, has waged a move to introduce a bill in parliament to protect youth that are starting businesses from high taxation.
MP Okot said the “start-up bill,” once passed into law, will directly help youth joining businesses to be successful.
“The start-up law will help youth who have started businesses not to pay heavy taxes. In most cases, youth who enter business collapse before two years due to heavy taxes, said MP Okot.
Okot emphasises that there is a need to protect local young entrepreneurs from heavy taxation because, in most cases, those whose businesses are booming are usually exempt from taxes.
He was laying out his plan for the youth of Northern Uganda in 2024, as the year 2023 comes to an end.
According to MP Okot, he continues to lobby the government to enhance rural electrification, improve sports facilities, and ensure that youth seeking employment abroad are protected.
Recently, the government, through the Ministry of Gender, entered into partnerships with several countries to ensure the protection of Ugandans working there.
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