The PF government has moved a step closer to enacting a law that will tax internet services.
The move could effectively see internet services such as Netflix and WhatsApp attract tax by as early as January 2020.
This is according to the VAT Amendment Bill 2019 which was issued on 20th November 2019.
The Act shall come into operational January 2020.
In administering the tax, companies offering internet services in Zambia but domiciled out of the country will be expected to appoint a tax agent to handle all tax matters in the country.
According to the Bill, “Electronic Commerce” means the buying, selling and advertising or marketing of goods and services using the internet, mobile telecommunication networks and other electronic commerce infrastructure.
In the Bill, “Electronic Service” is defined as a service capable of delivery of data across multiple electronic platforms.
“A taxable supplier shall issue a tax invoice for the supply of goods and services using an electronic fiscal device. A taxable supplier who fails to issue a tax invoice commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a penalty not exceeding 300 penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both,” the Bill says.
The Bill says the Supplier who does not have a registered office or Permanent address in Zambia shall appoint a tax agent resident in the Republic to act on behalf of the Supplier in tax matters.
“For the purposes of this Section, “Supply of Services” includes the supply of a service that is made by a supplier who is resident in Zambia or carries on a business outside the Republic to a recipient who is resident in Zambia.”
In France, the tech giant is going to pay the technology tax. In Zambia , it is the overtaxed Zambian that is going to pay. That’s the problem that I have personally.
What other country is doing this ?
Won’t work.
Jokers
Government is broke! But whatever is achieved through this will also be lost to corruption
Tax on Netflix that costs $7 and has servers outside Zambia not very smart already you charge TV tax. Any these are Mukula thieves with no vision on how to reduce the cost of doing business thy just know how to steal money.
Talk about clueless on economic matters! They want to nickle and dime wats app after draining the treasurey? Thieves, clueless and incompetent!
Squeezing the already squeezed tax payers. We pay tax on almost everything and here is another tax. The provider will definitely pass the cost to the consumer on this one and how many taxes are we going to be slapped upon. Look there is no production in Zambia to talk about now. We are out of business some of us as we can no longer run barbershops, saloons, welding etc and now tax on WhatsApp means no communication. Just what have we done wrong to this government to “deserve” all this. We voted for a death trap and we can come out in 2021. We need fresh air!
Disaster!!!!
What did you do wrong? You fell for a liar who was singing about more money in your pockets in 90 days …people with eyes and brains could see that this guy has nothing to offer the country. A person who in his personal life a disaster, how can he run a country. Well fortunately i could see this 100% and i would rather stick to mmd than than vote this guy. But unfortunately a lot of people fell for his lies and here we are. The problem is now i am also suffering because of so many f**ls.
Meanwhile they are getting richer and are above the law!
Whatsapp does not make money for facebook, they will claim a loss and demand a massive refund from ZRA
Who said anything about taxing WhatsApp or owner Facebook, they will tax you through ZICTA. Its no different to the Facebook tax in Uganda but people there now VPN software.
This is really crazy! How are you gonna tax Whatsapp? Who are you gonna tax? Do these PF people have brains?
No
I would rather wait and see if they have brains than claim they do not have when I might be proved that they actually have the brains.
And you believed Dora when she said there will be will be no Facebook tax, they have put a tax on WhatsApp calls now this, they just dont want you to use any form of technology.
Vice President nonge Wina says the UPND victory in a ward in Lupososhi is insignificant as it means just catching a small fish in a big lake, PF secretary General Davies Mwila says the loss is significant as that is where PF had their first member of parliament and provincial Chairman should resign, very uncoordinated. But you Davies Mwila, when you were home affairs Minister and lost a parliamentary seat to a simple independent without resources in Chipili, who asked you to resign. Hypocrites
joker’s
Kwena PF f!puba and this explains why their support base consists of !mbeciles like Sharon.
They are following in the steps of Uganda, a corrupt and failed banana republic ruled by a dictator who refuses to stand down after decades in power. The pf realise the power of social media and think the only way to suppress freedom of speech via social media is through taxing the poor citizens. Funny the pf was formed with the aim of being a pro poor peoples party..today they are taxing you on everything under the sun, including your freedom of speech. Any one who votes pf needs their head checking
And how much tax has the Mukula family paid out of the $100 million worth of Mukula imports the Chinese importers declared to their customs and revenue authorities?
Zambians, see your life now? You thought stealing from a widow and orphans was no big deal? Sometimes, it’s difficult to sympathize with Zambians because they don’t take their lives seriously. Who knows, maybe Zambians enjoy suffering!
How much more evidence do Zambians need? It’s crystal clear this PF has failed and they are serenading you into more and more poverty. They are preventing Zambians from enjoying freedom of expression…. dictator government.
Foolish Politicians only followed by Foolish people. These are multimillion companies who probably don’t even know where Zambia is and ready every day to block Zambia from a single server end of. This Government is a broke Government with no idea of clean funding. Mind you, even those Quels will not be spared, a tax is coming and did you know you talk time price will go up effective January when this tax is slapped on service providers. Fellow ZAMBIANS, this is where you tighten your belts, 2020 will definitely be a rough year and I wish you all the wisdom to think and least you not forget because of a song.
I could see the anger in Zambian motorists at Munali roundabout who were held by the First Lady and her gang asking for donations! This nonsense of inconveniencing motorists all the time in the name of begging is not good for the wheels of commerce! No wonder our economy is dead!
No matter how hungry, can a d0g drink a puppy’s milk??
MUKULA PRESIDENT J0N@ CHAKOKS, HAS DEPLEATED THE TREASURY, & IS NOW SHORT OF IDEAS HOW TO GENERATE CASH!
Meanwhile in State House it’s business as usual drinking & dancing Kanselele, V.al.d.e.n in tow, whilst FUGITIVE K@!zer hides under Je@n Mukula K@patas bed.
You are asking for Trams wrath as France on google
What about BBC?
Firstly when I buy airtime I pay VAT and you also tax the network provider too on their income. The internet I buy is from the same amount I pay to buy airtime. How desperate for money is this government ?
Maybe we need to let Netflix and WhatsApp know what’s happening because I highly doubt they would be ok with how it’s going down. Does every damn thing now need to be taxed, like seriously are we letting things just go from bad to worse. Where are we going as a nation?
These are the things that should guide people on how they select their next government. Vote with confidence and reasoning. A bag of mealie meal bribe only at the time of elections is no good…. you need long term national solutions and not bribes here and there. You need to vote for people that have made their own money before they enter politics and not poor strugglers who’s only motive is to steal once they enter politics.
We are just waiting for ” going to toilet ” tax
This country requires a strong political reevaluation and modernization……. And not this….. I’m very disappointed
Day light robbery ba mambala ba PF.The want to rip where they did not sow. I thought what’s up and Netflix were free when you subscribe to your network provider and buy airtime. Pa PF ,naka president kenu akabula future you will be locked up in 2021.Bushe Lungu atontokanya shani? Lungu has failed to govern this nation .He is adisgrace to this nation.He should not think when people are quite then everything is alright. The economy is in very bad shape but he keeps on flying everyday, raising taxes for already poor starving zambians ,campaigning, opening ututemba across zambia.He is too scared to adress the nation.He has no political stamina and clue to rule this country and what good advice can he get from Kaizer Zulu? Maybe Kaizer knows something about him which he lungu does…
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Maybe Kaizer knows something about him which he lungu does not want the nation to know or probably he is a relative that’s why he is too scared to displine this embecile called Kaizer.Ba PF nangu mukose shani uno muku kuya bebele, twanaka naimwe.Let’s try Hakainde in state house and see what he has in store for this nation. More over tatekapo .Ba Lungu anti I am humble that’s why Ineed to be elected.
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Ba Lungu ati I am humble that’s why Ineed to be elected. You have messed your CV, just wait for prison