Uganda 'to tax Bibles and Korans'
The Ugandan authorities have ordered religious groups to pay taxes on the sale of Bibles and Korans, reports the Daily Monitor newspaper.
Doris Akol, commissioner-general of the Uganda Revenue Authority, said in April it was an "anomaly" that the religious books were not taxed before.
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It comes after months of discussions between the tax authorities and religious organisations, the latter of whom remained opposed to the proposition.
The secretary-general of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council, Ramathan Mugalu, told the Daily Monitor that the government has "gone too far".
"How can you tax the word of God?" he asked.
The secretary-general of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, Joshua Kitakule, was also unhappy about the decision.
"These items are not meant for profit; so, it is erroneous to tax them," he told the newspaper.
Canon Joram Kahenano, a Church of Uganda commissioner, told the Daily Monitor they would have increase the price of their Bibles by 3,000 Ugandan shillings ($0.80; £0.59) to 18,000 Ugandan shillings.
