Alliance for Good Governance President, Joseph Chileshe has called on the general citizenry in the country to be patriotic by making sure that taxes due to the government are paid.
Mr. Chileshe said doing so will help the Ministry of Finance through the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) raise many resources to enable the country to respond to its expenditure accounts, debt repayment inclusive.
Mr. Chileshe said despite facing difficult economic conditions, citizens need to be responsible and ensure that taxes due to the government are remitted.
“Those that are doing everything possible to evade taxation should be responsible for once and ensure they pay taxes because it is from the monies that we are paying that we are able to receive services,” Mr. Chileshe said.
He said it is such behaviors that have left the treasury with no choice but to borrow in order to respond to the various sectors of the economy because some citizens resorted not to pay taxes.
“As individuals as citizens we need to be faithful by remitting taxes, by paying to the government what is due so that we can be of help to this nation as we help ourselves,” Mr. Chileshe said.
Mr. Chileshe has also called for increased investment in the agricultural sector in order to revive the economy and foster development in the country.
He said the agricultural sector has proved beyond doubt it’s potential to stimulate economic growth through value addition and exports.
Mr. Chileshe said the ministries of commerce, agriculture, and foreign affairs should work closely and come with policies that will enhance trade between Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo where the market for maize and its products is always yarning.
He said through formal exports, the agricultural sector has the potential to create millions of jobs for many Zambians adding that it can as well be a foreign exchange spinner which in turn can also help to strengthen the Kwacha.
Additionally, Mr. Chileshe emphasized the need to expose Small and Medium Enterprises to affordable loan conditions for them to revamp their businesses and contribute to economic growth.
“There is a need for government to help certain businesses in this country to thrive in the area of production and manufacturing for us to create employment and in the end, grow the economy,” Mr. Chileshe said.
Last week, economist Chibamba Kanyama called for the introduction of ‘Solidarity tax’ where Zambians voluntarily will come on board and ensure that all forms of tax due to the government are paid to redeem the country from the current pressure.
That’s good but unfair.
Finally an objective person with solid advice. Don’t always think about what your government can do for you, also think what you can do for your country. There is a culture of complaining and dependence syndrome especially among the lazy angry upnd diasporans. While diasporans from countries like ghana and Nigeria are fully contributing to their economies and advertising their countries as destinations for investment, the upnd supporting diasporans like tarino spaka and the other constipated baboons are busy insulting our leadership. We do not want you here so why continue commenting on our affairs. Tarino knows he cannot come back to Zambia because we will arrest him. We don’t tolerate gay dirty boys here. We know who you are and your government name. Dont think having fake name and…
….. picture here hides you. I just wont mention your real name for the sake of complying with your right to privacy and the terms of using Lusaka times. Kabwa iwe
Joseph, a fool & beneficiary of a thieving group. Continue encouraging pipo to pay tax so that u can have more resources to loot. Kant neva
How much tax has this same organization even paid
How will they pay when alot those that owe nolonger have businesses as their business have collapsed due to the bad Economic performance. Such kind of Statements is like asking people to sacrifice the little they have so that the now powerful rich can pay for their spilt milk
Wena Chileshe you are addressing the wrong section of society. We always pay our taxes. The ones who need to be advised to be patriotic are the politicians who should be making sure that they dont steal taxes paid by us to the government . Speak to Dora Siliya not to corruptly award contracts to some Cayman Islands firm to evaluate assets of Zamtel, or stop being involved in Malawian maize scandals, Speak to Dr Chilufya not to buy investigators at ACC after corruptly acquiring property from the UAE. Speak to that grouping of corrupt people called politicians to be patriotic because thieves of our treasury clearly arent patriotic
How many taxes are we subjected to? This will lead to a shadow economy, we are heavily taxed to enrich a few selfish individuals.
Ba chilesha there is something seriously wrong with your organisation. A responisble govt can be assisted not aba ba pompwe who can’t even disclose condition of a load facility ati its confidential and you ba chilesha in your own wisdom ati pay tax. bull
Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk some of these CSOs some people have no shame kkkkkkkkkkkkkkk like really ati pay tax for Government to pay debt? insoni ebuntu. How many times have people of Zambia sacrificed tightening their belts to pay more tax. You can not even talk about people who are busy stealing COVID money at ministry of health according to the report from AG Eeeeieeesh come on lets be serious if u have nothing to say just keep quite.
Why even pay taxes to a wasteful ,abusive and corrupt govt ? Paying taxes to Lungu’s GRZ is like pouring water into a badly leaking pot.
Tax rise on the way
Sell the presidential jet,48 mansions n that humongous mansion in Eswatini. You fail to put money in our pockets n still want to get the little we have…how fair is that. All those fancy GRZ vehicles , unnecessary police hardware as if we are at war. You guys have messed up our lives doing things youve been doing in secret but look now, youre as broke as a church mouse.
Sell the presidential jet and that humongous Mansion in Swaziland and the 48 Mystery houses for a start.WE tired of your incompetence.
We don’t hv a choice, do we? We pay tax whether we like it or not, whether the government likes us or not. Even HH whom this government hates the way a snake hates a mongoose still has to pay his taxes to the PF government.
This is laughable …instead of calling for prudence on the Gov’t’s part. I mean you have a President who is flying pointless trips when his govt defaulted because they couldn’t raise a mere $42 million
I don’t agree with Mr. Joseph Chileshe, the Zambians have always been paying taxes since colonial days. For instance people from the high density areas are the ones who pay more indirect taxes through indirect taxes. The people have been and are still paying taxes reason the govt has been able to operate. Chileshe would have done better to ask those charged with running our public affairs to be prudent with use of public resources not otherwise. Its the duty of the govt of the day to put in place mechanism that will make people see the need to pay taxes as an obligation. Zambian is heavily taxed in SADC region but lack of political which is killing the spirit of people doing the right things. Things have just fallen apart to an extent where those that are running businesses do as they…
Zambians since independence have borne the burden of paying taxes. Cut all perks and unnecessary allowances MPs and ministers get. $43 debt can be paid today. The biggest problem Zambia has is that the ruling and opposition are all crooks without intelligence. Stop trying to make tax payers suffer.
Here is the deal.
PF Maladministration must make full disclosure of our National Debt Situation. All debt that was not approved by Parliament belongs to PF as an organization. Let the careless lenders sort these out with PF. Only debt approved by Parliament belongs to Zambia. We then must do a Forensic Audit on how all debt money was utilized! Lungu must also show commitment by reducing the size of government! Abolish some ministries and fuse some. Abolish DC positions. Once we see PF committing to Austerity measures then we can listen. Otherwise there is nothing left to tax. Businesses have collapsed. Properties are no longer renting out. PF has killed Mining which used to earn 70% Forex. The way forward is for PF to pack and go! They have lamentably failed! We can’t tax ourselves to…
Chimbwi no plan.
Can you use taxes to pay such mountainous debt?
And what happens to other social services? The money borrowed should have been used in ventures with returns to pay back the debt.
Those who stole the money should pay.
Those that are doing everything possible to evade taxation should be responsible for once and ensure they pay taxes because it is from the monies that we are paying that we are able to receive services
Thanks
I agree to disagree with the tax contribution system needs restructuring. we have so many small businesses that don’t pay or contribute towards tax. Say, for instance, the so popular tubeba or street venders as we call them which are everywhere around the corners of every city in Zambia thousands and thousands of them, how does the government court for this small businesses to ensure that this tubeba traders pays tax for selling sweats, cigarettes, popcorns etc in the street, I don’t think all these traders pay tax because some of them don’t even have bank accounts records for ZRA to tracing them on how much money they make. I think the government should indicate and introduce the system which says that every person or individual who opens up a business whether small or big of any form…