Museveni Wants Pay As You Earn on Scientists Scrapped

President Museveni has proposed scrapping Pay As You Earn (P.A.Y.E) tax on scientists, arguing that the move would strengthen Uganda’s research capacity and accelerate solutions to key agricultural challenges.

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‎The President announced the proposal on Thursday during the official launch of the NARO Anti-Tick Vaccine at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute in Nakyesasa, along the Gayaza–Zirobwe Road.

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‎“I have been working to stabilize our science community. That's why, although I had opposition from other people, I insisted on increasing the pay of the scientists. But I would want us to do more. Because the scientists, even when you give them what we give them, starting P.AY.E, with a tax of 30%, they go back very little,” Mr Museveni said.

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‎He indicated that the proposal, which he plans to table before government, would see scientists treated in a similar way to security personnel, whose earnings are tax exempt.

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‎“For the soldiers and the policemen, we give them tax-free pay. They don't pay tax. You Ugandans, if you really want your economy, your agriculture to stabilize, your economy to stabilize, these scientists, what if we treated them as soldiers,” he added.

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‎The President stressed that Uganda’s scientific community is relatively small but plays a critical role in driving economic transformation, particularly in agriculture.

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He said prioritising scientists would yield long-term benefits for the country.

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‎“This is what I'm going to propose. If they kill me, then you know that I have died. I will die like Jesus died for the truth. But these people, as you will see the impact they will have in agriculture, because of what they have done here, is incalculable,” he said.

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‎The proposal comes at a time when government is seeking to boost investment in research and innovation, especially in agriculture, which remains the backbone of Uganda’s economy.

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‎The newly launched NAROVAC Anti-Tick Vaccine, developed by the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), is expected to significantly reduce the burden of ticks and tick-borne diseases among cattle.

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‎Globally, ticks and tick-borne diseases cost the livestock industry between $13.9 billion and $18.7 billion annually.

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In Uganda, losses are estimated at more than $1.1 billion each year due to diseases such as East Coast fever, babesiosis, anaplasmosis and cowdriosis.

‎‎At farm level, about 80 percent of annual cattle disease management costs are linked to controlling ticks and related infections, underscoring the potential economic impact of innovations like the new vaccine.

‎‎Government says strengthening scientific research through improved welfare and incentives could be key to sustaining such breakthroughs and improving productivity in the agricultural sector.