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Toronto – The Ethiopian government on Thursday announced new taxes on electricity, transport and water consumption. The government said that the average consumption amount will not be taxed in the interests of low income families. But those who are consuming above average will be taxed.
The statement that the Ministry of Finance released said electric and water consumption had been free from value added tax for the past 22 years in consideration of “expense burden on the low income section of the society.” Detailed guideline will be announced, it was said.
A family with consumption of more than average water and electric supply is presumed to have the capacity to pay for taxes on water and electricity consumption, based on the statement from the Ministry.
The government has also introduced new taxes on transportation. The Ministry of Finance said taxes were avoided “for the last 22 years,” as the ministry puts it, in the transportation sector for two reasons. To avoid an increase in transportation cost for low income families and avoid price increase on goods due to an increase in transportation coast.
Why the change now? Abiy Ahmed’s administration says “it is not appropriate to make such a support [not taxing] other transport services other than public and freight transport.”
The Ministry also stated that the government has been encouraging the use of public transport by making different forms of support available and developing infrastructures. Vehicles with eight seats and excluding tuk tuk will no longer be exempt from taxes.
So transpiration services with carrying capacity of eight and under, including drivers, will be paying value added tax. The percentage is not specified.
It means that ride services in cities like Addis Ababa and taxi services will be subject to new taxation.
The cost of living in Ethiopia has been regularly spiking. The recent devaluation of Ethiopian birr in an effort to meet IMF and World Bank imposed conditions for loans and grants worsened the cost of living crisis in the country.
The government was already anticipating a protest due to the currency devaluation and making preemptive arrests in different parts of the country including in the capital Addis Ababa.
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Norway princess and US shaman’s wedding begins after years of ‘turmoil’
BBC,Laura Gozzi 30/08/24
Festivities have begun for the wedding of Norwegian Princess Märtha Louise and her American partner, self-styled shaman Durek Verrett.
Märtha Louise has long attracted controversy in Norway for decades for her involvement in alternative treatments. She lost her honorific “Her Royal Highness” title in 2002 so as to be allowed to start her own business. In 2007, she announced she was clairvoyant and, until 2018, ran a school which she said taught students to “create miracles” and talk to angels.
Last year, Märtha Louise told the BBC’s Katty Kay that there had been so much “turmoil” concerning her decision to take a different path than that of a “traditional royal”.
“There’s been a lot of criticism over the years, especially with me being spiritual – and in Norway, that’s taboo,” she said.
“There’s been a lot of criticism over the years, especially with me being spiritual – and in Norway, that’s taboo,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr Verrett says on his site that he is a sixth generation shaman, “servant of god and energy activator” who “demystifies spirituality” through his “no-nonsense teachings”.
In an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, he claimed to have risen from the dead and said that when he was a child a relative had predicted he would one day marry the princess of Norway.
Despite the couple’s spiritual beliefs, this weekend’s wedding ceremony will follow a more traditional canon, with Parish Priest Margit Lovise Holte officiating according to the Norwegian Church’s wedding liturgy.