THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has so far raised more than K93 million during the tax amnesty introduced last month.
Last month, ZRA waived interest and penalties for taxpayers with outstanding returns and tax debt.
ZRA Public Relations Manager Topsy Sikalinda said the authority received over K93 million in the first 10 days of the tax amnesty period.
Mr Sikalinda said in an interview that ZRA also received about 4,500 applications from tax payers for payment of principal tax.
He said the response from tax payers to clear outstanding arrears without penalties and interest was overwhelming.Zambia Revenue Authority
“The response from tax payers has been great. So far, the authority has received K93 million and 4,500 applications during the first 10 days of the tax amnesty,” he said.
Mr Sikalinda said despite the tax amnesty, the authority was still collecting taxes as it was mandated to do so.
He said ZRA was targeting to raise about K2.5 million during the amnesty period and urged tax payers with or without outstanding arrears to pay tax on time.
Mr Sikalinda said ZRA introduced the tax amnesty which would run from April 24 to July 31, this year, following complaints from nine suppliers who accrued a lot of interests and penalties due to delayed payments.
He said the tax amnesty was enforced because some tax payers had challenges to migrate to the online electronic payment and others that failed to pay.
Mr Sikalinda said after the given window period, ZRA would enforce the law and introduce the penalties and interest to defaulting tax payers.
The tax amnesty which runs from April 24 to July 31 would not apply to cases under litigation and investigations, interest and penalties arising from audit and investigations, relating to property transfer tax, penalties relating to custom duty and those determined by the court.
During this period, tax payers are expected to submit outstanding returns and pay all principal tax liability for a tax period prior to March 1, this year.
You have raised K93 m but targeting K2.5 m?
I’m sure they meant targeting ‘K2.5bn’.Hmmmmml…….what a gigantic sum of money!
ZRA CEO Chanda is simply the best thing to ever happen to the nation. He has shown unparalleled innovation in his quest to bolster the national treasury, while at the same time presenting a human face to the tax payer. The way to go.
Let achievements speak for themselves. To Zambians Zambians on the ground that is just a mere figure which has not put food on the table. We all know that mining multinationals are are evading tax why can’t you grow a testicle and go after them. Oh wait u can’t because lungu receives cutbacks
You probably have data to substantiate you claim. Please report to ZRA. ActionAid did that about Zambia Sugar. Otherwise beating in the air ain’t a solution.
Unfortunately most of that money will probably go towards paying some mining companies for the VAT refunds that we owe them. This is really very unfortunate. It’s agony seeing our own wealth being taken out of our country and at the same time paying them tax refunds! How I wish it was going towards alleviating the suffering of the rural population.
@NEZ dont forget that HH is in bed with the same mining multinationals as evidenced with the meeting he and RB attended in South Africa last year. Don’t make a full of yourself when you are the same guys trying to bring down this government of the republic of Zambia with your mining multinationals. However, you will not succeed coz get ready to feel the full weight of peoples Government run by his Excellency Edger Changwa Lungu. Stop politicking and wait for 2021 maybe if by then UPND would not have been rendered irrelevant.
This is the biggest issue i ve with online publication they re bize spreading ubufi
This is WONDERFUL. We have been having running battles with our ZRA Auditors who where simply blaming the system. Please GO TO ALL RURAL AREAS AS WELL to explain this valuable amnesty window and the brilliant user friendly electronic tax payment system.
PACRA
NAPSA
Watch and learn . . . .