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Here is How To Make a Group Video Call on WhatsApp

By
Steven Nuwagira
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WhatsApp supports free video calling over Wi-Fi or mobile data, even to persons living overseas. For the most time, we have been only conversant with the individual video calls and not very many people actually know that there is an option for group video calls on WhatsApp.

In the past people had to use a third-party app to make group video calls with their WhatsApp contacts, now however, the functionality is available within the app for iPhone and Android. If you can’t find it you must have to update your app.

Today, we shall take you through the very easy step of making a call to multiple contacts at once.
Needless to say, to make an individual call, you just need to open the WhatsApp conversation of the contact you want.
Tap the video camera at the top right of the window, the video call will automatically commence and the recipient’s phone will ring.

For the Group Video Call, here is how you should go about it.

1. Open a WhatsApp conversation.
2. Tap the video camera at the top right of the window. The video call will automatically commence and the recipient’s phone will ring.
3. Once your recipient has answered, tap the add user icon at the top right corner of the screen.
4. Select a second recipient to add them to the call.
5. Once they have joined you can also add a third recipient

Alternatively, if you would rather make standard voice calls rather than video calls just tap the telephone icon instead of the video camera icon.

Android 9 Officially Launched, Digital Wellbeing coming soon

By
Steven Nuwagira
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0

Coming along with a heaping helping of artificial intelligence baked in to make your phone smarter, simpler and more tailored to you, the Android 9 Pie has been officially launched.
It is built to learn from you and work better for you, the more you use it.
From predicting your next task so you can jump right into the action you want to take, to prioritizing battery power for the apps you use most, to helping you disconnect from your phone at the end of the day, Android 9 adapts to your life and the ways you like to use your phone.

The development comes with features like Adaptive Battery, which learns the apps you use most and prioritizes battery for them, and Adaptive Brightness, which learns how you like to set the brightness in different settings, and does it for you.

Android 9 also helps you get things done faster with App Actions, which predicts what you’ll want to do next based on your context and displays that action right on your phone.
For instance, when you’re preparing for your commute: you’ll be suggested actions like navigating to work on Google Maps or resuming an audiobook with Google Play Books. And when you put in headphones after work, you may see options to call your mom or start your favorite Spotify playlist. As if that isn’t enough, Android also promises to roll out (later this year) Slices which shows relevant information from your favorite apps when you need it.

They acknowledge that making your phone smarter and more adaptive is important and therefore want Android to be easier to use and more approachable. Accordingly, that is why they have introduced a new system navigation featuring a single home button.
“This is especially helpful as phones grow taller and it’s more difficult to get things done on your phone with one hand. With a single, clean home button, you can swipe up to see a newly designed Overview, the spot where at a glance you have full-screen previews of your recently used apps” they said in a statement.

In the new update, the Smart Text Selection(which recognizes the meaning of the text you’re selecting and suggests relevant actions) now works on the Overview of your recent apps – making it easier to perform the action you want. You can enable this new system navigation in Settings once you’ve received your update to Android 9.
“Changing how you navigate your phone is a big deal, but small changes can make a big difference too. Android P also brings a redesigned Quick Settings, a better way to take and edit screenshots, simplified volume controls, an easier way to manage notifications and more. You’ll notice small changes like these across the platform, to help make the things you do all the time easier than ever.

In a research, Android claims that over 70% of the people wish they could disconnect more easily off their phones and free up time for other things.
“So we’ve been working to add key capabilities right into Android to help people achieve the balance with technology they’re looking for” they asserted.
At Google I/O in May, they previewed some of these digital wellbeing features for Android, including a new Dashboard that helps you understand how you’re spending time on your device; an App Timer that lets you set time limits on apps and grays out the icon on your home screen when the time is up; the new Do Not Disturb, which silences all the visual interruptions that pop up on your screen; and Wind Down, which switches on Night Light and Do Not Disturb and fades the screen to grayscale before bedtime.

Digital Wellbeing will officially launch on Pixel phones soon, with Android One and other devices coming later this year. But these features are available in beta now for Pixel phones running Android 9. To try them out:
1. Make sure you’re running Android 9 Pie on your device. (Learn how to check which version of Android you have.)

2. Sign up for the beta with the email address you use with Google Play.

3. Accept your invitation to become a beta tester by clicking the link in your welcome email.

4. Once you’ve accepted your invitation, Digital Wellbeing will appear in your phone’s Settings app. It may take up to 24 hours for Digital Wellbeing to appear on your device.

In addition to continuously hardening the platform, and an improved security model for biometrics, Android 9 enables industry-leading hardware security capabilities to allow protecting sensitive data like credit card information using a secure, dedicated chip.  Android 9 also brings important privacy improvements, such as TLS by default and DNS over TLS to help protect all web communications and keep them private.

Bitcoin Games From Proffessionals

By
Gumisiriza Garry
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0

Now, a lot of transactions can be made by means of cryptocurrencies. The registered users of the website 1xbit can play games and enjoy them by making bets exactly in bitcoin.

The bookmaker was first to offer its clients to make bets in cryptocurrencies, so it’s a trendsetter in this market segment. Today, it’s hard to attract new users only with the betting, so they have an access to different entertainments. By playing them, you can multiply your funds significantly and make more profitable transactions.

Here, you’ll find quite popular and unique developments. Such games are an opportunity to earn good money without making effort. As it’s getting harder to win cryptocurrency, the cooperation with the professional bookmaker is exactly what you need.

Now, it’s much easier to earn bitcoin playing games. There’re a lot of games accessible to the users:

·         21;

·         Russian Lotto

·         Lucky Card;

·         Reels of Gods.

Moreover, you’ll always find here special offers, like, for instance, during the Football World Championship. Such approach will let you try your luck and make bets.

The high-quality and user-friendly interface will let be quickly integrated in the platform without facing any difficulties.

Profitable Betting from Professionals

The bookmaker doesn’t also forget about the betting on sports presented here. We should separately note the summary of events, due to which you can choose your favorite kind of sport or literally any competition. BTC gambling 1xbit.com is simple and profitable and thousands of clients have already ensured this.

Traditionally, there’re high rates and fast payouts. The sports betting on the reliable bookmaker’s website is one of the simplest ways to earn money at this stage. As cryptocurrencies become more and more popular, the cooperation with 1xbit is very expedient.

Don’t delay the registration on the official website to be always aware of all relevant sports events and make profitable bets on them. This is a unique place where progressive entertainments and a high-quality summary of events merge. You won’t find such terms that 1xbit offers anywhere, so the cooperation with the bookmaker is what you need for the rapid growth.

 

MTN Pulse Sponsors Premiere of Mission Impossible – Fallout

By
Boses Muhinda
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MTN Uganda will on Wednesday 25th July 2018 sponsor the launch of the long awaited sixth Mission Impossible, titled ‘Fallout’.

The sixth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise will be premiered at an exclusive event at Cinema Magic at Metroplex Naalya. Personalities, celebrities and invited guests from Uganda’s movie, media and entertainment scene are expected to attend the launch.

“Mission Impossible has become one of the most revered action franchises of the modern era. Their movies are action packed, thrilling and exhilarating, something that resonates with our MTN Pulsers who live with no fear, just like Tom Cruise” said Hellen Kirungi, Youth Segment Manager at MTN Uganda.

For the lucky few who will attend the premiere, they will join a privileged exclusive club that will witness the screening a day before the official worldwide release.

Before the movie premiere, MTN Uganda, in partnership with Cinema Magic, will launch the partnership ‘Cinema Magic & MTN Pulse Mondays’ where one can enjoy half price on tickets every Monday only at Cinema Magic based in Metroplex Mall, Naalya.

Apart from the exclusive premiere screening, MTN will have another surprise for MTN Pulsers: “For all our MTN Pulsers we shall be giving out free tickets and discounts so that they can also have a chance of viewing Mission Impossible ‘Fallout’ with their friends” said Hellen Kirungi.

MTN Pulse is the official community for the young that gives Ugandans the power to be themselves, overcome their fears so they can unleash their potential and live life with #NoFear. To join, one can dial *157# on their phone or register online https://pulse.mtn.co.ug

Through its superior network and ability to connect, MTN Pulse has offers that empower the youth, with among others, data bundles, music streaming, video uploads, games and career placement.

On behalf of Cinema Magic, the Marketing Manager Ms. Isabel Muheirwe, stated that over the years they had noticed that the tradition of watching movies only on Friday and Saturday was limiting people’s ability to enjoy having fun and they were looking at changing that.

“Research has proven that 80% of the corporate or probably the working class and university students start the week off on a low note or what is known as ‘Monday blues’. With this partnership, we want to encourage a life of no limits thanks to the ‘Cinema Magic & MTN Pulse Mondays’ promotion” said Isabel.

Cinema Magic, which is the first and biggest 3D cinema in Uganda, is a hub for cinema goers as their quality of sound, crystal clear screens and ambient facilities – which includes free Wi-Fi – offers a conducive environment for a relaxed evening of movies.

Raxio Data Centre Set to establish state of the art Data Center in Namanve,Uganda

By
GURU8 Staff
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0

Raxio Data Centre Ltd (“Raxio”) is setting up Uganda’s first state-of-the-art data centre in the Namanve Industrial and Business Park.

Raxio was established earlier this year by the Roha, a US greenfield investment company that builds and and develops new businesses across Africa.

Raxio has also appointed James Byaruhanga as General Manager. James Byaruhanga is a Ugandan national, with m According to Robert Mullins, Director of Raxio, its data centre is the “country’s first Tier III, truly carrier-neutral co-location facility and is ideally located just outside Kampala’s CBD, a key requirement for disaster recovery and business continuity.”

James Byaruhanga

“When it opens in mid-2019, this centre will ensure the equipment housed within it operates optimally, 24/7, in a fully safe, secure and redundant environment. At full capacity, the centre will be able to house up to 400 racks, delivering 1.5MW of IT power,” he said. The data centre has been designed to global Tier III standards by Future-Tech, a UK specialist data-centre design company with over 30 years of experience.

Raxio has also appointed Symbion, a leading local architectural firm to carry out the civil and structural design of the building. Future-Tech and Symbion are working hand-in-hand to oversee the building and commissioning of the centre. Construction is set to start this quarter.

Commenting about the centre, James Byaruhanga said it is a timely investment in Uganda’s Knowledge and ICT sector with wide strategic national benefits that go beyond its primary function of serving as a disaster recovery facility for improved business continuity of financial institutions, enterprises and government MDAs.

More than 18 years of experience in the ICT industry as a manager in several leading telecom companies and internet service providers.

“We believe that with the growth in data usage and storage and the broader digital transformation of businesses and the public sector being witnessed in Uganda today, a Tier III data centre will be a key pillar to Uganda’s digital economy and will stimulate and support the growth and digitalisation of the Ugandan economy and thus help meet the goals set in the MoICT Data Strategy and the broader National Development Plans,” he said.

He added: “With this world-class facility, we shall attract major global content data networks, cloud services providers as well as regional carriers to Uganda. Other than bringing critical services closer to the local market, this will make internet services cheaper and faster to the end user, but most importantly, bring down the overall cost of connectivity in the country, thus increasing global competitiveness of Ugandan businesses.”

He also said the project would contribute significantly to job creation and tax revenue generation.

Data for Nothing: Fraudsters Use Fake Gift Cards to Lure Consumers into Handing Over Personal Data

By
Brian Code
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0
Photo shows chip credit cards (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Experts have discovered the distribution of an unusual fraudulent scheme that tricks users into parting with their time and their data, for no return. By creating fake websites for the free generation of gift cards, cybercriminals are able to “sell” users’ data to third-party partner sites, to which they redirect victims.

While industry and law enforcement agencies from around the world are busy fighting against cybercrime, criminals themselves are constantly looking for new ways of earning money – other than just malware. Offering something valuable free of charge is always an enticing piece of marketing, and criminals can take advantage of this. Websites that offer customers the option of freely generating gift cards for well-known companies – like iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, or Steam – are nothing new. For example, legitimate apps like Token file and Swagbucks buy card codes from vendors, to then give them to clients as a reward for certain activities. Criminals have apparently recognised the popularity of such websites and have decided to deceive users using a simple algorithm.

When on the fake site, the user is asked to select the gift card he/she wants in order to receive the code. After that, the fraudulent mechanism is set in motion. To get the generated code, however, the user needs to prove that he/she is not a robot. To do this, the user has to follow the suggested link and complete various tasks, the number and type of which are determined by the partner network to which the user is redirected. For example, he/she may be asked to fill in a form, leave a phone number or email address, subscribe to a paid SMS-message, install adware, and so on.

The result is predictable: either victims get tired of doing endless tasks, or they finally get the useless code. The earnings for criminals range from a few cents per every click on the desired link to several dozen dollars for filling in a form or subscribing to paid services. Thus, the criminals make a profit virtually for nothing, getting paid from the user’s actions on the websites of third-party partners, who, for their part, also benefit by getting access to personal data which can be used for private purposes.

“The success of these new fraud schemes is based on criminals exploiting the drive of users to get something for free. However, at best they will spend hours of personal time doing worthless tasks, and at worst – lose money without receiving anything in return. So, if you want to get your hands on a free gift card, try to earn it on legal and trustworthy sites,” said Lyubov Nikolenko, web content analyst, Kaspersky Lab.

To avoid falling for cybercriminals’ fraudulent schemes and losing personal data, Kaspersky Lab researchers suggest that users follow a few simple rules:

•Remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch and always treat offers that seem too tempting to be true with scepticism.
•Check the HTTPS connection and domain name when you open a webpage. This is especially important when you are using websites which contain sensitive data – such as sites for online banking, online shops, email, social media sites etc.
•Never share your sensitive data, such as logins and passwords, bank card data etc., with a third party. Official companies will never ask for data like this via email.
•Do not spread questionable links among your friends.
•Check with the company if it really is giving out gift codes, and whether the site is its official partner. To do this, contact the official support service by reaching out on the official website of the company.
• Use a reliable security solution with behaviour-based anti-phishing technologies to detect and block spam and phishing attacks, such as Kaspersky Total Security, which blocks fake gift card sites.

The X-Mobile Money App Review: A One-Stop App for mobile payments

By
Pius Enywaru
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0

It is no doubt that of the two taxes that the Ugandan cabinet passed recently, The Mobile Money tax of 1% (later reduced to 0.5%) is one that didn’t rub people the right way the most. Folks abandoned using Mobile Money, drastically, Numbers dropped and this caused a slum on the usage of mobile money platforms.

Scholars argued that this caused a big blow to the fintech innovation scene in Uganda and will give an epic blow anything that wants a Mobile Money Integration because of the tax. We can sit to debate about the tax and surely at the end of the day we shall still learn that the tax is unfair.

In the midst of the cloudy confusion, Dei Technologies, the makers of X Mobile Money App, a platform that seeks to serve a central exchange and service point for all Mobile MOney networks and other payments platforms. From the look of the app, it wants to break the Jinx that the tax has seemingly brought to effect.

I laboured to use the XMM app for about a week or so, sent and received money using the app, paid for Utility Bills, bought airtime all from my wallet on the app. However, it still didn’t address the main issue that I had, how do I bypass the MTN Mobile Money or Airtel Money because then if I wanted to withdraw money to cash, I’d have to add it to my MTN Mobile Money wallet to do so.

I spent an evening with the makers of this app trying to understand how it works, why Ugandans need to trust it as their option and life saver. We carried out a myriad of tests, I asked questions and in my review, I address them and I know you may have the same.

What is the X Mobile Money (XMM) App?

The X Mobile Money (XMM) is a new platform serving a central exchange and service point for all Mobile Money networks and other payment platforms. The App enables you to cross network purchases and money transactions. You can Send and receive Mobile Money from all Mobile Money networks.

With the recent ban on scratch cards, the XMM App allows you to carry out Airtime purchases and you can also buy Internet bundles MTN Bundles, Africell, Smart Telecom, Uganda Telecom, Smile Telecom, Roke Telecom and Tangerine.

Furthermore, you can pay your Utility Bills payments such as Umeme, NWSC, GOTv, StarTimes, Zuku and DSTv.

How to use the X Mobile Money App

The XMM App comes in easy to see fonts and flaunts a green and pale blue colours. If you must use it, you obviously need to download it on your Play Store or the Apple Store on your phone.

To Deposit, when you Open the Application and you’ll click on your wallet amount/ Balance. You will be redirected to the deposit screen. Specify how much you want to deposit in the Amount field Your registered XMM number is the default number you can deposit from. You can also deposit from any other number as long as it is registered on mobile money and it has enough funds to allow the deposit.

Once the information of the amount and number has been filled in, click next and wait for the pop up from your network which requires your mobile money pin to confirm the deposit to your XMM wallet.

The set up is pretty much easy and precise and doesn’t require as much information. Once a deposit fails to go through, XMM Deposit system being an instant it is most likely a network error from the Telecom operator and once you try about a few times, this is often rectified. An XMM user can send money from their wallet to another XMM user’s wallet at zero rates in an instant.

To send money as XMM money,

  1. Specify the amount
  2. Specify the receiver’s number
  3. Specify the reason.
  4. Click send money as XMM

Once is done, you can Withdraw from XMM App by sending it to your ordinary Mobile money account at a very small fee then withdraw normally with an agent. Because not so many agents have been rolled out, you still have to face the same old Airtel or MTN Mobile Money agents. However, the XMM agents will be available in all parts soon, something that the makers of this app are promising.

You’ve lost hope right?

Hold Up, there’s still some.

Using the XMM App, you can still by-pass the imposed taxes on the sending stage only if the receiver is also registered on XMM App. For you to bypass the tax, the person you want to send the money to should also have the app.  However, after the introduction of XMM Agents, users will be able to bypass taxes at all stages.

Is it Secure giving XXM Your Money?

When I tweeted about the App, many directed their questions to the sensitive issue of how secure their money is. I shared the same sentiment. I wondered what if they woke up one morning and closed shop with all our float (money) on their system. Would we ever find them? Who regulates them anyway?

Firstly, XMM is sub-regulated by UCC and Bank of Uganda under different payment aggregators and they affirm that Your money is 100% safe with XMM. The Application is developed by a reputable team from Dei Technologies Inc and insured under many insurance providers. XMM does not store any personal data besides the Phone Number and Account Name.

Capital Shoppers App review: Shopping on the GO

By
Pius Enywaru
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0
The Capital Shoppers App/Photo: Pius Enywaru

We have arrived at a point in Uganda where a shopping experience has to be swift and amazing. This has been partly harnessed by the rise of third-party applications and portals that ease shopping. Jumia, Qwicart, Masikini, OLX and more has given shopping an even better experience on the Go.

After running fair deals on royalty card offers, vouchers and more, Supermarkets are upping their game on making customer shopping experience better. Capital Shoppers a Ugandan supermarket chain with 4 mega Branches in Kampala has released a shopping App.

As I made a stroll through Capital Shoppers Ntinda to buy a few groceries, my eyes were met with a gigantic banner announcing the launch of their shopping App. I immediately downloaded it to get me an easier shopping schedule.

The supermarket chain owns and operates four supermarkets in Uganda; all located in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, the third-largest economy in the East African Community. Capital Shoppers is the largest locally owned supermarket chain in the country. Founded in 1997, the family-owned store chain has a customer-loyalty program that offers 4% rebate on purchases, the highest in the industry in Uganda.

The app dubbed “Capital Shoppers” is an online shopping App that eases shopping from the comfort of your home and you get products delivered to your doorstep. By downloading the Capital Shoppers free online shopping app on your phone, you can have a comfort to buy from our massive collection of thousands of items like Groceries, Home Appliances, Electronics, Garments, Accessories and many more.

This aroused my profound love for the app and for about a week now, I have had the Capital Shoppers App on my phone and I feel I should share more about it and my experience using it.

The Design…

The Capital Shoppers App has a basic design beaming white and green colours (These are the theme colours of Capital Shoppers). You are welcomed with the Capital Shoppers logo on tapping it and you are seamlessly directed to its homepage that pretty much has all the functions in bold and easy to access.

While on the Home Page, you are presented with a top slider bearing artwork for the supermarket. Below the slider is a button that directs you to the entire categories that are at the Supermarket. The ‘Offer Of The Day” and the ‘Best Seller’ from Capital shoppers are also there for you to choose from. On the Right top corner is the ‘Cart’ with all your goods that you have selected for shopping and below it is the search button to find exactly what you want.

The ‘Menu’ Button sits on the top left corner of the app and when you click it, you are ushered to the various options that the app has to offer which include;

‘Order History” that helps you track your orders with the supermarket.

Manage Address: This feature is to help you add or remove a particular address where you want your good delivered.

Notification: This feature once enabled will give you all updates from the Supermarket on offers, the progress of your order and more.

Setting: This is by far the most misplaced feature on the App, it simply allows you to activate the ‘Notification’ setting and that’s all. What a Waste!!!!

Feedback: This one is more of a platform to give your audience to share your feedback about the app and the supermarket service. It’s is a suggestion box of sorts but on the app.

Rate and Review: This too is also a useless feature on the app and could have been merged with the one above. Even after rating the app via the app store, this feature is simply there to send you back where it all started from, the play store.

My Reward Points: For being a loyal customer and user of the app, you will be rewarded and this feature will show you the points you have. Ideally, these points can be accumulated and used for shopping.

My Gift Cards: For those that may want to buy vouchers and share or surprise someone, this feature serves that purpose. The cards can be listed under this feature.

Wishlist: Most importantly, here is where you may add goods that you may need to buy at a later time. Your wishlist is basically something you intend on buying at the supermarket but at a later time or not instantly. The other features in order include the ‘About Us, ‘Privacy Policy” and ‘LogOut”.

What’s more to It……

Before fully trusting the app, I had a myriad of questions I asked myself ranging from usability, relevance, the performance of the App and much more. However, interestingly, Learnt that for starters, it’s a really light app only consuming about 12mbs of space.
While many Ugandans may have trust issues at heart, The Capital Shoppers app also supports various payment methods from ‘pay on delivery’, and the makers of the app are promising you Safe and Secure Shopping.

You can Shop using your Credit/Debit Card, knowing that all transactions are securely processed. Capital Shoppers provides you 100% purchase protection for safe payments & transactions. Alternatively, you could also pay cash on delivery for your orders.

This only means, No Mobile Money Option.

The products you can find on Capital Shoppers app include: 

•Mobile Phones
•Mobile accessories
•Laptops, Computer Accessories & Tablets
•Electronic gadgets
•Games & Gaming Console
•Home & Kitchen Appliances
•Women’s Clothing
•Men’s Clothing
•Women’s & Men’s footwear
•Sports, gym & fitness products
•Groceries
•Luggage & handbags
•Personal care appliances
•Home & Furniture

Usability and Performance

To fully enjoy the App, you must have an internet connection. For the while I have used the App, there has been a lag and freeze and an ‘error’ message has popped up on several occasions. This only means that app indeed has some bugs that need to be fixed.

Interestingly, you can Track your Orders

 as they come to your doorstep, the app offers you perfect order tracking and status update of your orders. You can also check your order status anytime through up to the minute updates on the status of your orders & you can choose to track it anytime through the ‘Orders History’ menu option.

Sadly though, the app has many redundant features that advisably should either be merged or removed.

How to Use the Capital Shoppers App

For starters, Simply download the app on your device (phone) and create an account for yourself. Get to the Home screen where you will find links to all the category products, along with amazing offers, deals and discounts under the ‘Offers of the day’.
1. Easily type in the product you are looking for in the ‘Search’ tab and find it instantly
2. Narrow down your search using filters like price, brand to find your desired product
3. You can also add products to your wishlist with a single tap
4. To place the order, choose among easy payment options like Cash on Delivery (COD), debit card, credit card, etc.
5. Track your orders inside the app, get notifications on personalized offers, price drops, order status, exclusive launches and upcoming sale events
6. Receive your order or contact the 24×7 customer support for any product or delivery related issues.

The Pros

Great Categories
Light App
Easy To Use

The Cons

The app is Too Crowded
Slow-ish
Redundant Categories

 

Social Media Tax to remain, Mobile Money Tax reduced to 0.5% on withdrawals only

By
Pius Enywaru
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0

Cabinet has approved the Amendment of the Excise Duty Act,2015 and directed the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in consultation with the Attorney General To prepare an Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2018.

Speaking to the Press this morning at the Uganda Media Center in the country’s capital Kampala on Cabinet Resolutions, Mr Frank Tumwebaze the Ugandan Minister of ICT told the media that Cabinet agreed that the OTT/ Social Media Tax shall remain as is according to the Cabinet Resolutions that was chaired by HE Kaguta Museveni.

“Cabinet sat yesterday on Monday 16th July at State House Entebbe and agreed on some recommendations with the President, thus the Social Media Tax will remain as is.”, he noted.

Tumwebaze further added that; “When you are developing a policy that can change “this tax is not a tax on the internet. It is a tax for you to access  a specific service”

The implementation of the Excise Duty on OTTs services will continue, and that further improvements to the payment options will be discussed with the Telecom Companies.

Mr David Bahati the Minister of State for Planning noted that; “OTT/ Social media tax will get more options so that you can pay quarterly, annually (to the daily, weekly and monthly subscriptions). We want to facilitate that access so that payment becomes more convenient”

The tax means Ugandans that caused an uproar from the infamous tax will continue paying 200 Ugandan shillings ($0.05) a day to use popular platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp.

The Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill 2018 is being charged through mobile phone operators via individual SIM cards because Africans mostly access the internet via mobile phones. Some tech-savvy Ugandans continue installing encrypted virtual private networks (VPN) to avoid the tax.

Cabinet Also resolved that There will be a duction of the tax payable on the value of Mobile Money Transactions From 1% to0.5% on withdrawals only.

“Cabinet approved the amendment of the Excise Duty Act of 2015 “reduction of the tax payable on mobile money tax from 1% to 0.5% on withdrawals only”, noted Mr Frank Tumwebaze.

Both Bills under the Excise Duty (Amendment) Bill, 2018 will be laid July 17, 2018 before Parliament by Thursday 19th July 2018.

Wefarm’s trek in Harnessing e-Agriculture and Shaping Information Access For Farmers in Uganda

By
Pius Enywaru
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0

The demand for farmers in Uganda to become forward-thinking has risen along with the demand for more productive agriculture as the population increases. In Uganda, e-agriculture is becoming a litmus test for industry development in terms of accessing information, engaging and applying lessons-learned to create more aware and productive farms.

Agriculture has become highly encouraged in the country, by Government, development partners and civil society alike, with the new National budget providing tax exemptions on agricultural equipment that was once considered too expensive for small-scale farmers.

Wefarm a free SMS-based network (not an “OTT,” so tax-free too), aiming to generate more awareness to register more users(farmers) in Uganda. It is a farmer-to-farmer digital network with nearly a million users across Uganda and Kenya is connecting farmers to share the information they need to farm more productively. Over 900,000 farmers are now using this SMS-based network (user numbers grow every day, as you can see on wefarm.org)

Measuring the potential of e-agriculture in Uganda helps to consider the demand for advancement in this area, and the value chain that information networks are linking into.

Many farmers are making a bold decision to embrace new mobile technologies like Wefarm, the world’s largest farmer-to-farmer digital network, which is active right in East Africa, boasting over 870,000 members across Uganda and Kenya. These types of networks give farmers tremendous power to access the information they need to increase their products faster and engage with other farmers.

By embracing the latest mobile technologies, farmers are choosing to join a technologically savvy section of society, which many might assume is beyond the average rural Ugandan farmer’s grasp.

Why Choose WeFarm?

Today, farmer groups can pool funds and buy this equipment. As more farmers desire to produce for commercial purposes and new farmers emerge, the hunger for farming information is increasing. With most agriculture taking place far from urban centres, it is becoming essential to building capacity for rural farmers to access information – like on how to manage pests, weather and market prices.

This opportunity also applies to agricultural development. Uganda has a history of traditional farmer cooperatives and groups that help connect farmers to each other as well as to suppliers and consumers, allowing farmers to support each other in navigating the marketplace. The essence of this model is that farmers can help each other when they share ideas, experiences and knowledge about farming.

However, farmers are spread over sparsely populated areas and groups may face limitations in equal access to information, communication, participation, management, leadership, corruption and limited funds for marketing and transport, resulting in limited profit margins when they sell their produce. The traditional set-up of farmer groups is now being supported by a new way for farmers to share information. By using their phones, farmers can now engage with open networks.

The Wefarm network – which has already answered nearly 2 million questions from We-farmers in Kenya and Uganda – allows farmers to ask and answer each other’s questions about farming through a free SMS system, which automatically filters and forwards questions to get quick answers from peers across the country, and does so in English, Luganda, Runyakitara and Kiswahili, with more languages coming.

The most frequently asked questions on Wefarm’s network in Uganda are about rearing chickens, cattle and goats, as well as farming maize, tomatoes and beans. Questions shared and answered through Wefarm show that Ugandan farmers are commonly challenged by disease in cattle, as well as coffee wilt and banana wilt. Fellow farmers respond through their phones on how to overcome these common challenges.

New technologies like Wefarm have become a formidable force to empower small-scale farmers. With the world’s population projected to grow from 7 to 9 billion by 2050 and climate change now an entrenched reality, increased pressures not only on farmers but also on the global food supply chain, will only persist. Farmers and businesses without access to problem-solving technologies and rich information sources are at risk of being left behind.

How does Wefarm Operate?

Wefarm has created a system with the amazing ability to connect farmers to each other online and through SMS. Wefarm developed its service offering, design and information architecture in conjunction with farmers in Peru, Kenya and Tanzania. This collaborative process enabled Wefarm to develop a service that applies globally, and they went on to further build the technology in Uganda, ensuring that it is directly relevant for and resonates with the local user.

The Wefarm system is developed in such a way that it uses machine learning algorithms that are constantly generating new models to identify words in Ugandan languages like Luganda and Runyakitara and direct them accordingly. It even learned many different versions or possible spellings of common words in order to ease the inclusion of semi-literate farmers.

The system uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to determine the language, content, and intent of incoming messages. It then applies custom algorithms to identify users most likely to respond to a given question, thus managing any challenges of language barriers or Misinformation.

With Wefarm, farmers can share and access crucial livestock and crop knowledge and vital pieces of information on how to improve their farm’s productivity or battle a disease without leaving their farm, spending any money, or having any access to the internet.

Knowledge shared on Wefarm can help farmers produce higher quality produce, increase yields, gain insight into pricing, address the effects of climate change, source the best seeds, fertilizer, and loans, diversify agricultural interests, and more. Given their expertise, Wefarm discovered that farmers are highly skilled at picking the best advice most suited for their situation and context.

Since its founding in 2015, and the 2016 launch in Uganda, Wefarm has been named one of Africa’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company and has won Google’s Impact Challenge Award, TechCrunch’s Europas-Tech for Good Award, and the European Union Commission’s Ideas from Europe prize, among others. The company is headquartered in London with offices in Nairobi and Kampala.

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