The Press Association of Zambia has condemned ZRA for harassing media houses over monies owed without consideration for the unfriendly economic atmosphere in which they operate.
PAZA has called upon Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda to should consider waiving all the money owed to ZRA by both public and private media houses in the country because taxation is killing the media.
Police and Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) officers on tuesday morning conducted a raid on the office headquarters of the Post Newspaper in Rhodespark, Bwinjimfumu road in Lusaka in connection with the K27 million owed in unpaid taxes.
However a press statement released by ZRA yesterday stated that the Minister of Finance does not instruct the Zambia Revenue Authority to undertake enforcement action against taxpayers.ZRA said it has a statutory duty to collect revenue on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Zambia.
Below is the Full press statement
The Press Association of Zambia (PAZA) wishes to disagree strongly with the position taken by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) to harass print media houses to recover their dues without consideration for the unfriendly economic atmosphere in which they operate.
PAZA wishes to remind the government of a position paper originated by media houses on the bad taxation system relative to the poor environment in which they operate.
That position paper has not been attended to by the government. PAZA believes that the government must waive the unfriendly taxes which are killing the media and allow them to start afresh.
A recent study by PAZA on the effects of taxation on the Zambian media shows that the most affected are the print media houses. This has made it hard for them to continuously remain alive and most of them have folded. For the electronic media, the taxation system has made the operational costs unbearable especially that Zambia does not manufacture electronic media materials.
We therefore wish to appeal to the Minister of Finance, Mr Alexander Chikwanda to revisit the taxation system and allow the media to grow. We further question the criteria used to select ZRA’s harassment of the Post and the Daily Nation when almost all the media houses in the country owe ZRA money.
The Minister should consider waiving all the money owed to ZRA by both public and private media houses in the country because taxation is killing the media.
We propose that the money to be saved by the media should be used to offer salary increments for our members some of whom are unpaid for several months while the rest have the lowest salaries compared to other sectors.
It must be appreciated that media houses employ thousands of the media personnel across the country which must prompt the Government to act with caution when dealing with tax matters.
Patson Phiri
Executive Secretary and Secretary General (Southern African Editors Forum Zambia Chapter)
should we also say that government should waive all the taxes on the mines since the taxes are killing the mines .
Useless PAZA,,,, dont generalize, the post and Fred Mmembe is not media, the post owes money here, dont hide mmembe in the word media,,,,let him pay,,,, if he cant, grab the post and auction it,,,, let him go to the farm like his president, kabimba
failure to pay taxes by anyone or any institution is inexcusable.
If workers with meager salaries and wages can faithfully pay their PAYE why can the employer turn over such monies to govt?
The state needs money to continue providing health, education, roads, agriculture etc.
the post must pay just like everyone pays
The Post is lying. It has NOT been paying any COMPANY tax.
Instead it has been stealing taxes paid by employees (PAYE is paid by employees) and VAT (paid by the public who pay VAT on goods and services on what the POST vends).
This is GOVERNMENT money entrusted to the Post to pass on to the ZRA.
Being a crook that Fred is, he is now claiming he has paid K45 million tax! What a liar this fagot is. And yet he has paid almost NIL Company tax.
Arrest this thief and chief apostle of lies and deception.
Government/ZRA should waive or pardon us SME’s especially those just starting up from Taxes because they making our business growth very challenging!
If Mumembe with enough money to buy a bunch of trucks for his transport business is not supposed to pay taxes, then no SME in Zambia is supposed to pay Taxes!
PAZA should know that TAX is very different from Press Freedom! The Post is one of the most free media houses in Zambia. Mumembe should stop taking us Zambians for a ride. How much he owes DBZ and now ZRA. He never wants to pay taxes or loans.
The position that PAZA is taking is very regrettable!
Most useless suggestion by PAZA. What happens to govt revenue if govt waives taxes on income tax for all the formally employed because tax is choking their little earning?
Exactly, Arm Pit. Why should the media be treated differently from other institutions? What’s so special about them? After all most of them are just Kachepas.
LOL…what a load of rubbish. Because they refused to diversify away from hard copy sales, their money making schemes by means of under stating their daily sales quotas, is about to crash. This is happening globally with all newspapers. Internet and other media forms are the way forward. You divesify with shifting times, thats business and the last I checked the groups in PAZA are there for profit. Lets not insinuate or get conned that they do us a national service of some kind. What a joke….all businesses would require a “pardon” in this case. You might as well reset ZRA taxing systems.
Patson Phiri: That is the joke of the year
Paza are you serious with what you are writing.All companies are subject to the same economic conditions,so the issue of waiving money is non existent.
What PAZA does not understand is PAYE and VAT are taxes collected from employees and customers respectively so that is not Post’s money. You make customers pay VAT and you don’t pay and you deduct tax from salaries and you don’t pay. Come on there is nothing special about the POST.
Ba paza so want the government to improve service delivery by digging a hole to fill up another hole. No sense
Has Mmembe paid you told talk on his behalf? You preachers of morals and values should be in the forefront to respect the law of the land.
Where were you when PF blocked ZWD?
I urge ba Chikwanda to ratchet up the pressure on media houses to pay up.Zambia daily nation cleared its tax arrears why should Mmembe let off?
let them owe money because even i owe money to these ZRA buggers and also my old mates who i plan not to pay back ever. these people can suck my chicala back and forth and also side to side then they can link my bottom hole after i have poured some melted chocolate on it. for i am the one and only evans mfula of evaduco living in the suburbs of lusaka and hiding from kitwe boys
I just detest the unprofessional way ZRA operates. They have data on who is outstanding with their tax obligations but they do nothing until prompted by some politician. ZRA is like a debt collection department of a company, they shouldn’t sit on their laurels waiting for instructions from above before doing what they are mandated to do.
The most incomprehensible statement from PWAZA. Where was this dimwit trained? Has he been visiting Chibolya regularly.
My poor grandmother pays VAT on everything she buys and you say Fred Mmembe who drives a Hummer should not pay tax obligations he has incurred.
I don’t buy the Post since it stopped being a forum for all views and became a vehicle for Mmembe for selling influence and selective reporting. And now you want me to cover up his indebtedness to the taxman.
Patson Phiri, how much have you been paid for this “sebana wikute”. I will be amazed if the media community do not impeach you.
NEVER STOP OR REMIND YOUR ENEMY (S) WHEN THEY ARE MAKING MISTAKES. LET THEM MAKE TOO MANY MISTAKES SO THAT BY THE TIME THEY REALIZE ITS VERY DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO GET AWAY WITH THE LONG ARM OF THE LAW.
Patson Phiri and your executive members must visit one of the mental hospitals in the country to have your heads examined. You can ground a country a halt.
No need to examin them. Just put them in strait jackets, and administer cocaine; which truly is what they are on!
PAZA has outlived its uefulness, it needs to be disbanded if this is the self dsestructive way they are now thinking.
PAZ is evil’s den which has lost it’s bearing. These are the same people who have the little brains like a goat that doesn’t listen even when it’s chased with stones. They talk evil in the name of free expression about others and when its them they are as scared as a trapped rate hunted by cobra. Pay what belongs to Szar period. Any business should have plan during turbulence times
Ditto. They need to downsize. Starting with the Head of Media House, and quarter of the executive team. What did they think when other businesses were doing this during and after recession?
unbelievable “Stewpidity!!” That is why we are so undeveloped & are so backward – talk about celebrating 50yrs of independence, a body responsible for disseminating information on nation building & development is the one espousing the most RETROGRESSIVE type of thinking!!!
A’Phiri ana bwela, you have such a long title or is it designation – secretary fimo fimo South fimofimo, zambian fimofimo, BUT NOT MUCH to show for REALLY!!
If members of PAZA don’t impeach this guy, we will take it they all behave like hyenas waiting for a’phiri to drop them a bone – honestly, how can your national representative sink so low in thinking – He has HONESTLY put your organisation in DISREPUTE, for that, his POSITION HAS BECOME UNTENABLE!
PAZA, your reasoning is skewed and borders on inciting tax payers to stop meeting their obligations. What if the mine companies also say we are working under difficulty conditions, what if civil servants also say they are working under difficult conditions, what if every one refuses to pay tax to government? Will PAZA continue operating in a a failed economy? Some biased sentiments are not worthy expressing.
PATSON !!!! NAPENA , TIE HIM UP PLZ
Is Patson Phiri on drugs?
BA PAZA , BA PAZA NONSENSE BA PATSON BANDA MWALIPENA !! PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE NOT NEEDED IN OUR SOCIETY. BUSHITT!!!!!!
PATSON ON DRUGS HE SURELY NEEDS HELP
No wonder Zambia cannot go forward. You expect educated people to understand how government runs institutions. Even my marketer mother knows that she has to pay to the Council for it to clean the market toilet. I give up.
Patson, then all citizens in this country should be waived from paying tax..period ! Are you on drugs ?
PAZA, Rubbish, does patson know that taxes pay for, medical drugs in Hospitals, nurses, doctors including the police & army.
God forbid if govt’ will listen to PATSON NONSENSE! Get mmembe to pay Development Bank of Zambia,& ZRA period.
PAZA’s statement is a shame for many reasons. Every entity MUST pay its tax obligations. The Post has accused several entities over taxes but when it is proven FACT that it itself does not pay its taxes. The Post’s owner has been given such a soft touch by the law for a considerably lengthy span of time. It is simple- if you want to criticize others, ensure that you replace your glass houses with brick! Pay your taxes.
This is the most stu.pid and annoy.ing statement i have ever heard eversince W. Kabimba was fired!!! @ ”without consideration for the unfriendly economic atmosphere in which they operate”. Basically this PAZA burger is telling all of us to negotiate our tax payment or negotiate waivers. I think almost all journalists seem to have jelly for brains. GO TO H.ELL; Patrick. You are a shame to have such an honorable first name…!!
If this statement came from an illiterate individual I might maybe understand. Representing the entire media? If this is the best reasoning from PAZA then the whole institution should be closed. If not, this guy must be impeached. Maybe they know each other’s secret girlfriends and how they cheat on their wives so they cover each other’s as%es
How can the taxman waive tax for all media houses. …its just ludicrous. ..only in Zambia…can an organisation utter such rubbish.
PAZA IS A USELESS ORGANISATION,WHAT KIND OF REASONING IS THAT ? IF WHAT THEY PROPOSE BECOMES REALISTIC THEN WHO FUNDS THE GOVT AND ITS PROGRAMMES? WHAT KIND OF THINKING IS THIS.WHEN REASONING LETS NOT BE EMOTIONAL JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS BEEN FOUND WANTING.
AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS PAZA.
Poor Acrimonious Zombies Association
Interesting reasoning, so even everyone who is impacted by the high cost of living should simply dash to the tax man and negotiate a waiver because they are struggling to pay bills, wow!!!
Correction, Baba!! There is no reasoning at all here because you are saying ”interesting reasoning”!
PAZA here seems misguided and playing a blind game in the interest of protecting Membe and Post. The best PAZA should do is plead with ZRA and an Appeal to the Government-MOF to have the payments staggered, meaning dialogue with ZRA for a win-win situation. But still member has more trouble coming for him am sure very soon he needs to explain how he managed to intrude in a Private Conversation am sure he is doing that on a number of Citizens. Please ZP this Fred Chap is Ma-trouble lock him up.
PAZA is an epitome of a child brought up being told there is always a way out even by crook! I am disgusted that they can even suggest this. Remember that even those donors giving you, PAZA support use their countries’ tax to extend that help. Don’t trivialize a significant thing like paying tax. Mitigate, but do not, I repeat DO NOT play with the fire of getting away with such criminal acts like not paying tax where it is due.
I have seen many press statements before but this one is different. It is not well thought out and lacks depth and insightfulness. Is PAZA saying that the Post is equal to “all media houses”? That is not true. Is PAZA saying that government should be starved of its lifeblood of development funds? Is PAZA saying that media houses that met their tax obligations must be refunded? Some people are clearly paid for doing literally nothing except puppet their masters’ plans. Fred Mmembe seems to have crafted the statement and he should not deny it. Rubbish.
These PAZA guys are jokers.
Every person, company, anymore or existing being is been subjected to harsh economic conditions. One can rightly argue the situation is world over. Why should we exempt the useless media; only good for perpetuating mediocrity, from paying tax?
You guys are the cause of the unfriendly economic atmosphere due to non payment of taxes. ZRA hammer!!!!
the economic enviroment is unfreindly to all, mr. you r not alone, the manufacturing is crying and so are the mines and workers. so bwana whatever you owe, pay. tizakamba bwino tikalipila
More like ***** of the week, eh?
Paza have no spine of their own. They are worried how they would survive if the post has to be wiped out. Digging copper shud be harder than writing personal attacks some media houses do. But mines pay tax and they can not tell us to waive tax because they have to go 1000 meters down to find copper, because they chose to be in that industry. Media houses chose to be in that industry and it requires one to pay tax sir. These are monies deducted from employees by false pretence that its PAYE and chewed it with impunity. PAZA, where do u live, utopya??? Can u imagine CNN not paying tax because there journalists are dying too much in war tone countries or because they are CNN?? Paza need to be disolved. They seen to have outlived there purpose.
PAZA has called upon Finance Minister
Alexander
Chikwanda to should consider waiving all the
money owed to ZRA by both public and private
media houses in the country because taxation is
killing the media. Reilly,,,? Then will the Media
houses pay back that money to its owners?
Cause as far as I know
PAYE is paid by employees) and VAT
(paid by the public who pay VAT on goods and
services the Media houses provide.
The Post should just pay they tax obligations
period.
This level of foolishness in unacceptable
Can ZRA NOW visit all media house for outstanding debts, if the move on the Post was not politically motivated? Patson has given ZRA very useful information. I hope the CG does not wait for Mr. Chikwanda’s instructions this time.
PAZA: the rest of the world must be laughing at us with such bizarre opinions. Zambia, a poor country needing all manner of development, and there is paza saying we don’t need tax. Phiri who? Bizarre Phiri I suppose!
The mind boggles! This article reads like a sneer at Zamia’s citizens compliant to the law of the land! These people are above the law, or at least that is what they think!! Goodness, is this a ‘genuine article,’ no pun intended!
Morally corrupt and dysfunctional. We are talking about the people who set out to influence our thinking. Prison is the only way to go on this one.
Is this April Fool’s Day or …? It just breathtaking! Gasp? ZRA make them all pay. Fred’s a good start!
This PAZA chap is an *****.How can he interpret serious issues like that.Has he been bought also by Mmembe?
This is the most useless statement, if the media is excused from paying taxes, then all of us should be. The Post should just pay what they owe, period. Ba PAZA, what kind of reasoning is this? Its amazing!!
Stupid!!!Stupid!!!Stupid!!!Stupid!!!Stupid!!!
PAZA must shoulder its responsibilities with courage and integrity. Fisrt you pay the tax as calculated by ZRA. Thereafter, you file a claim seeking re-calculation or you negotiate a payment plan. Very often, ZRA is accurate and fair.
Dont Worry folks. we know that PAZA has been on the Post payroll to survive. We can’t expect anything different from them. This is an organisation that has had no elections for so many years. They don’t represent anybody other than their pay master – Post. Shame on them.
Types of tax companies pay:
1. PAYG or PAYE (for individuals) – Deducted from employees pay (this is income tax for individuals)
2. GST or VAT – Levied on goods and services by the govt to consumers (passed on to and paid by consumers)
3. Income Tax (for business) – levied on the taxable income of a business – It’s calculated on assessable income less any allowable deductions. Assessable income is generally income your business earns.
I believe this is the contentious one that The Post hasn’t been paying. The question of ‘business doing it tough’ doesn’t hold water and shouldn’t arise at all. This is because this tax is usually proportional to what you earn or what your income actually is. That is if you make less, you pay less.
In some countries companies can even recover losses incurred.
Other taxes include:
4. Capital Gains Tax (CGT) – tax that you pay on any capital gain. It’s not a separate tax, just part of your income tax. The most common way of making a capital gain or loss is by selling assets, such as property or vehicles, which is a CGT event.
5. Excise Duties – e.g. export/import ‘customs’ taxes paid on certain goods.
6. Stamp Duty
7. Rates
8. International Tax
Courtesy of w_w_w.business.gov.au/business-topics/tax-finance-insurance/taxation/Pages/default.aspx
All of these are proportional and not fixed (i.e. they are percentage).
So which one in particular is this PAZA asking the govt not to apply to media houses?
Ba PAZA ba nsala. PAZA feeds from Mmembe’s dish. No wonder these reporters are always begging money from their sources.
This is the worst form of desperation i have never seen or heard of!
This is rubbish ranting. I cant believe this is coming from a journalists, media should not pay Tax???? ..what nonsense is this. What about other sectors, should they be exempted as well? Then where is GRZ going to get the money?
Mr Phiri we know that you are protecting Mumembe……..tell the POST to pay tax , the POST should not steal period.
My only comment is Shtupid suggestion by Paza, senseless.
What is so special about the Media that they should not remit taxes. Whether, its the Post, KCM, Zambeef,RB or myself, we have an obligation to pay taxes!!! in other countries actually you go to jail for not doing so (Ever heard of Wesley Snipes?)