Thursday, March 28, 2024

It’s not the intention of Government to tax its citizens unnecessarily-Siliya

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Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Dora Siliya, MP
Chief Government Spokesperson, Hon. Dora Siliya, MP

Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Dora Siliya says it is not the intention of Government to tax its citizens unnecessarily.

Ms. Siliya, who is also Chief Government Spokesperson, vehemently denied that government has introduced taxes which are not in favour of the Zambian people.

Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka yesterday, Ms. Siliya explained that Government has resolved to apply the current taxes to balance with the performance and growth of the economy.

“It’s not the intention of government to tax its citizenry unnecessarily through taxes. The nation might wish to know that taxes enhance economic growth and shapes direction in terms of performance, taxes are meant for betterment of the Zambian people,” Ms. Siliya said.

The Minister boasts that the taxes have brought prosperity to the nation and investor confidence through the participation of both local and foreign investments.

Ms. Siliya said taxes have played a role in the diversification of Zambia’s economy.

She denied allegations levelled against government that it has introduced more taxes contrary to the PF party manifesto empowering the Zambian people with favourable taxes.

The Chief Government Spokesperson said Zambia’s economy is growing at three instead of the projected seven percent attributing this as due to ‘thick’ period the country encountered when it held the two presidential polls in a series in 2015 and 2016 that heavily constrained monies of the State treasury.

Ms. Siliya, a veteran broadcaster challenged journalists in the country to rise to the occasion and help put public perception in good taste.

The Minister urged the media in the country to regulate itself as opposed to creating a vacuum for the State to intervene.

Ms. Siliya, who earlier had a meeting with media heads reaffirmed government’s continued commitment in developing a media industry that will contribute to social and economic development.

Meanwhile, Ms. Siliya has disclosed that government has appointed the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) to be shareholders of the embattled Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail which are ‘highly’ indebted and failing to pay salaries to their employees.

The Minister said Government is not sitting idle by engaged the media institutions on various ambitious interventions aimed at arresting the situation but no time frame given.

In a related development, Ms. Siliya has strongly condemned the riotous behavior of students at Evelyn Hone College over examination results.

She commended the police for caging 300 students as investigations continues and advised the students against breaking public resources.

50 COMMENTS

    • So why don’t other countries in the region have a tax regime like ours and yet they are developing. You can’t over tax your citizens and justify it. Any way maybe you can be forgiven Dora, because you are a foreigner in this party. What these guys had promised us, so you know, were lower taxes and more money in our pockets. Is that happening , a BIG screaming NO!

    • – You fail to solve housing problem, then Zambians become innovative and build their own houses with their own hands only for you to just come in at the end and demand withholding tax as if you contributed a single Ngwee.

      – You fail to provide piped water, Zambians become innovative and dig their own boreholes and you come at the end ati pay tax for your borehole.

      Lungu, PF & all PF00Ls are VISION-LESS STYOPET KOSWES.

    • Never heard such lies before surely what do the two elections have to do with economic performance of the Nation when a fairly large percentage is donor funded….also how come most suppliers to ECZ were not even paid ? Can you also tell us exactly were the taxes we pay as individuals are being channelled becoz most projects are from borrowed money. Madam our taxes just go to support your lifestyles period and don’t take us for fools…well at least not me maybe your minions in the diaspora who don’t see how large you are living

    • Never heard such lies before surely what do the two elections have to do with economic performance of the Nation when a fairly large percentage is donor funded….also how come most suppliers to ECZ were not even paid ? Can you also tell us exactly were the taxes we pay as individuals are being channelled becoz most projects are from borrowed money. Madam our taxes just go to support your lifestyles period and don’t take us for f00ls…well at least not me, maybe your minions in the diaspora who don’t see how large you are living

    • Fuuuulish woman and fuuuulish government and fuuuuulish PF, your time of reconing will surely come just like mugabe, zuma and many others, nothing is permanent imwe m******mwe

    • Taxation is good WHEN THE FUNDS ARE USED WISELY AND IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER! This is not happening today!

      When I pay tax you are going to use that money to buy luxury SUVs, pay huge allowances and salaries to yourselves meanwhile the kids are going to schools with poor facilities, hospitals with no medicines, roads with no drainages, potholes in towns, cholera whenever we have heavy rains! No please be serious with life Zambians are not f000ls, so don’t be a f0000l to think we are f000ls! Thank you!

    • We all watched yo ka Anthony boot licking would be investors with tax holiday of 5 years at the expense of citizens. Useless government! Zambians messed up here. But this can be corrected.

    • You surely don’t understand economics, Dora.

      You have all the wrong things, and ‘everyone on this forum is dumber for having read your nonsense.’

    • Come on Dora, you are an intelligent Girl, don’t defend such nonsense. The Government is Lazy; why do you think economic growth is through Taxes? High Tax economies always perform badly for your information. PF has failed let others rule to change our country.

  1. Even though u tax us you wankers are just using our hard fought money for luxury…im now finding it hard to understand u chaps who are always on defense no positives

    • Mummy, when these PF people told us there would be lower taxes, you were in MMD. So we don’t know why you want to lecture us, obviously you think we are gullible

  2. But is it the intention of GRZ to waste and defraud Zambian taxpayers with $42m firetrucks and $1.2bn overpriced highway?

  3. So it’s safe to say that it’s because we’re not generating enough capital to sustain ourselves because we’re fixed on building malls and (cheap) roads than building a manufacturing industry to cut on import costs? Makes sense.

    • Ba Jason Tamutontonkanya bwino. In the current economic dispensation its not Government who build Malls but the private sector. You Mr Jason go right ahead and build the Industries you are talking about. Its not gvt’s job to build industries. The job of Govt is simply to enable players be in a position to invest and that is what gvt has done. Now you Zambian “rich” guys don’t want to invest. We have foregners like Dangote investing while you are just saying I am rich! I am rich! Bu**Sh*t!!!!

    • But Zambians you are f00ls.Do you still remember that these PF have totally refused to pay back your money as ordered by the Concourt?Then they increase taxes so that they get even more money from yourselves imwe muli ndwii.

  4. Dora, there must be a difference between you and Sunday Chanda. In life you can’t have one answer, defensive answer to everything, there must be answers like, 1. Look we are right on this. 2. Look we are wrong on this, we will revisit. 3. We will investigate and revert. You can’t be immature like Sunday Chanda and Davies Mwila who believe every thing has to be defended. The world moved from stone age to iron age to now digital age for a reason. We can’t remain in stone age

  5. if what the honorable Minister Siliya saying is true, why is it that MPs are not paying tax? Let them be role models to the Zambian people and not leaving it to the ordinarily Citizens.Taxes indeed are too much in this Country comparing with any other southern African country.

    • popopo
      Thankyou for reminding me.For all those who are not aware those big vehicles these MP’s drive are tax free whilst they try to strangle us with taxes.To PF sacrifice is for the ordinary citizen while Kamba,JK,Macky II and other cadres have the luxury to travel in limousines in the USA at your expense.

  6. IMF fixes you over your reckless borrowing and in turn you punish citizens with all these taxes. Most PF members have started coming out openly and clearly saying ours is a failed project. This is a total failed project irrespective of which party you belong to. You must be myopic not to see that there is a problem here. I remain non partisan

  7. Things have gone haywire, your visionless dullard told the IMF to go to hell, and now you have run out of ideas, the only option is to tax us left , right and center. These obnoxious taxes like borehole tax, paye, napsa, medical, vat, toll gates, ratsa,police taxes the list goes on and on are meant to stifle the little income that we earn and condemn as to perpetual poverty. And this moron is trying to justify the unjustifiable. 2021 is around the corner bamakaka.

  8. After Sudan, Zambia has the harshest Tax Regime. Politicians are amongst notorious tax evaders. Come 2021 we’ll demand copies of tax returns as part of requirements to file nomination papers for councilors, MPs and Presidential candidates. If you don’t have a TPIN like Hichilema or you use your son’s accounts like Kambwili you will cry loudest.

  9. After plundering borrowed funds, you are now using poor citizens to pay back the debts by overtaxing them while you continue enjoying free fuel and other services. Shame on you!

  10. You are taxing Zambians so that you continue stealing through projects….the equation here is ####

    tax them hard =

    more investors willing to lend money =

    more inflated tenders for projects =

    more money for lungu and his gang from those inflated tenders.

  11. Meanwhile Anthony Mukwita is on overdrive Muzungu anikonde inviting whites to come and do tax free business for 5 years! Is it the skin??? smh. Give us a break please!!

  12. And this is what they promised us more money in our pockets? We were chased from the streets and in order to survive we rented out our homes and opted in stay in uncomfortable areas you come again ati pay withholding tax. All materials used on building houses are taxed and we pay PAYE from salaries so why do you still want us to pay more taxes. Its only in the PF government we are seeing this. Kwena twachula mwe.

  13. Heavy taxation on the mining houses in Tanzania and DRC has squeezed the industry beyond measure, its good to broaden the tax base. Zambias economy has historically depended on mining and whose national budget is pegged to the price of copper. Zambia has learnt from the past hence we should broaden tax base, implement new technologies and strategies to ensure a more sustainable future. Insala ni ndiminwa tempulilwa iyoo.

  14. Instead of taxing us heavily, why get rid of some ministries e.g Religious affairs, Chiefs, higher education etc. This way government will have the much needed money, instead of spending it on emoluments.

  15. Cut down on government spending. MPs, Ministers, Presidential and many unwarranted government official allowances, including capital expenditures. If Zambians should pay more to cover national expenses, then why not also remove some unnecessary allowances.

  16. Minister, we hear you. But that’s why we have been advising you against reckless spending. When you spend recklessly be it on inflated contracts, unnecessary travel, unnecessary infrastructure , huge personnel emoluments due to a bloated cabinet or sheer theft of public funds, its us the citizens as tax payers that suffer.

  17. Comment: we don’t need anyone to deny or accept that there are alot of taxes introduced, its us who pay those taxes, we are very enlightened and anyone should not think she’s addressing petauke residents with less enlightenment.

  18. PF tax us more. This is very good ba Dora. Please play us that ka famous song called dununa reverse as you tax us.The ka song will cushion the pain. I will also propose that you introduce breathing air taxes. We Zambians like free things. Here you have my vote baba.

  19. Mwamoneni – Indeed it will cushion the pain. We also need pedestrian taxes. These guys can’t just be walking on the pavements without paying a coin. Viva PF Viva dununa.

  20. “Chief Government Spokesperson said Zambia’s economy is growing at three instead of the projected seven percent attributing this as due to ‘thick’ period the country encountered when it held the two presidential polls in a series in 2015 and 2016 that heavily constrained monies of the State treasury.”
    This is beyond laughable…surely how can one say such lies with a straight face? Elections are now a burden as the treasury sets aside monies for it beforehand…only when additional money is misused does it become a problem like what Fossil Chikanda and the SG were doing.

  21. The America Motto is” In God weTrust” . Here who do you blame for these taxes. It was s mistake to entrust the key ministries such as Finance, Agriculture, and others to be headed by the opponents of FP. Their interests were not of PF but their parties and to plan in the way to reduce the party,’s popularity. How can you put your marriage enemy yo plan for you family and expect things to work well for you? A president of an opposition active party as Finance minister. PF has many people still with one leg in their parties 75% but 25% in PF advising the President. This way these taxes are here to squeeze us.

  22. This is a coded message, and consistent with past history.

    To de-code, just remove or add the word ‘not’ from each sentence Dora Siliya has said to make it read the opposite, and you will get the accurate message.
    i.e. starting from the heading: – “It is the intention of Government to tax its citizens unnecessarily..” and so on. There you have it.

    Her boss Lungu is to dumb to decode it.

  23. Dora should just shut the fu.ck up because what she is verbalizing is a nullity, perios. I mean, this girl is a waste of space, she is an empty bucket of monumental proportions. If she did not have that elephatic bokossi of hers attracting all manner of attention even from vile Katangese Kabokes, she would be just nothing but a village girl kwa Katete.

  24. We the Zambian people are over taxed and someone is busy bringing fake justifications. Whatever this lady does has no concrete justification to convince the magnitude of us Zambians, even the economists will not accept such unjustifiable remarks from the Minister which is only implemented to satisfy those on Top who have messed up with the economy. All they want is to find ways and means of filling the gap in budget which they have created and the only source is from us the poor Zambians who already have meagre salaries which can’t sustain our daily needs and wants, even if one is to eliminate the wants it is difficult to survive.
    Dora is only qualified to disseminate the news not analyzing and identifying the impact it will have on us the poor Zambians who are squeezed and are already…

  25. “… taxes are meant for betterment of the Zambian people,” Ms. Siliya said. Tell Ms Siliya which part of my life as a Zambian is better since:
    – I pay to see a doctor at a private clinic because the government hospital are over clouded and have no medicines
    – I pay for my children to go to private schools because the GRZ schools are substandard.
    – I pay toll fees to use a road
    – I pay to pack the car in town
    – I pay for TV
    – I pay for electricity which includes taxes
    – I pay taxes to rent a house
    – I pay to use public toilet
    – I pay the police to write a report, to investigate a break in etc
    On the other hand, what do you ms siliya contribute for the betterment of Zambians since you live literally tax free on government resources?

  26. Meanwhile there is Anthony wooing infesters with 5 year taxfree packages…really laughable…i thought I was listening to someone selling fish at half price at the end of the day before it goes bad.He was there passionately shouting make profit within 2 years and enjoy 3 years living large…whilst we tax the utterly docile Zambian fooools to the ground.

  27. No problem if revenue was being spent prudently . But it is being stolen by govt officials and wasted on unnecessary overseas trips and socialisation ( not provision of social services )
    Spending govt resources to support PF agenda is criminal and that is what is happening .
    We are getting to a point where citizens will rebel and refuse to obey GRZ .

  28. More money in your pocket. No money in your pocket. Or money in your pocket and no money in people’s pocket

  29. How does a man say it was not their intention to cause the pregnancy after ejaculation? Too late! Zambians are already pregnant with taxes!

  30. To drive the economy, you have to encourage spending. That’s why the Bank of England reduced interest rates to 0% so that borrowing is cheaper hence people or businesses could borrow to spend. Government borrows to provide services whilst ordinary people spend their money in shops, bars, transport, etc who in turn pay taxes to government. However the opposite is happening in Zambia, simple fact is people are not spending hence slow economic growth. If you tax them more, you’re making matters worse!

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