By: Anthony Bwalya – UPND Member
Last year, the Zambia Revenue Authority had made a lot noise about how First Quantum Minerals (FQM) owed the tax authority, and by default Zambians, an amount to the tune of $7.6 Billion in unpaid taxes.
At the time, many of us wondered how, under the watch of a competent tax authority, such an amount could go undetected under existing customs clearance mechanisms, let alone go unpaid. We had further sought clarification around how this tax dispute between the ZRA and FQM had arisen in the first place to help us get a good sense of the balance of tax and customs expectations from both ZRA and FQM’s perspective.
This information was critical to help the public make a judgment as to whether or not the mining house was being deceitful in it’s import declarations, or it was in fact officials at the ZRA making false customs assessment in respect of big money businesses for private gain to themselves.
As usual, this information was never given and thus the public up to now is not able to determine who the enemy of the Zambian people truly is.
Now, we have reliable information to suggest that FQM has settled this tax dispute by paying much less than 1% of the total amount under dispute. And ZRA has rolled out their red carpet of secrecy and deceit by refusing to disclose the settlement amount, using the preposterous excuse of taxpayer confidentiality. And yet, this issue is a subject of such prime public interest that warrants the public to know the details of whether or not we are getting a fair share out of our mineral resources.
At a time when the PF government is making noise about how much of a corporate bandit Vedanta’s KCM has been over the years, and the vigor with which they have been washing KCM’s dirt in public, we have always (well I have always asked) whether the much talked about bad business, dubious business practices by Vedanta and KCM were only unique to this particular investor; and that the others have been playing by the rules.
The PF have allowed the ZRA to breach the so-called taxpayer confidentiality code in respect of Vedanta and KCM, but are quick to hide behind the same facade in protecting FQM.
So, in the spirit of transparency and trust, and for purposes of building sound investor – citizen relationships, can the PF government order Mr. Kingsley Chanda and the ZRA, to furnish the Zambian public with the full details of this once $7.6 Billion tax dispute with FQM, as well as details of how we eventually decided that FQM should only pay less than 1% of this amount.
Let me end by saying, that we have a government and government institutions, that are conniving to defraud our country.
Yes they should, but they wont. When they where trumpeting it to the whole world to try and give the impression that they are working. Now they want to shove it under the carpet and let it die a natural death to hide their incopetence? Or perhaps money has exchanged hands under the table.
This is another case that has disappeared probably gathering dust on Lazy Lungu’s desk…its been sorted with brown envelopes.
Problem in Zed is We Donchi have a leader who can inspire his junior’s to work, BUT one who inspires them to pilfer, ba Kitolela!
All we have is a Tse -tse fly, who flies aimlessly all day and night running as far as possible from his wife. Ba K.K a proper Statesman used do a lot of State visits abroad with late Mama Betty .K.
As long as the current visionless Tse tse fly is in the skies, & enriches his own, + families friends bellies, to him that is development!
BUT HEY, HE WARNED YOU HE HAD NO VISION WHATSOEVER, & AFTER EMBEZZLING A WIDOWS NDALAMA, HE WAS COMING TO PLOT #1, TO DRINK & DANCE, (24hr Disco)!!
This matter should made a main campagning issue by the opposition UPND n NDC if they have to succeed, few individual have benefited in this matter and they have killed the case in the name of settling. We want to hear a lot noise on this to make PF uncomfortable, so that voters can learn how much they have lost in this case
The UPND could be right here and these are the issues they should be raising in a civil manner that is understood by the majority Zambians not the way this sycophant is trying to raise the issue…
Another massive case that will draw accusations of stealing by lungu and his gang……
Why is everything under lungus GRZ shrouded grey areas ???
Every transaction is suspicious
Just look out for 84 houses…
ZRA is full of corrupt officers they were told of smuggling caught up the trucks and released them a week later. So far business as usual