AAG warns tax evaders

Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
The Affirmative Action Group (AAG) has warned business people evading tax by failing to formalise their operations, saying the law will catch up with defaulters.

AAG President Mr Mike Chimombe said while the lobby group has been fighting for black empowerment, some business concerns were not paying their dues to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).

Mr Chimombe said this during the launch of AAG’s Mashonaland West chapter yesterday.

He also took a swipe at some young entrepreneurs who were using the names of senior Government officials and the lobby group to solicit for bribes and favours, saying they were derailing efforts to turn around the economic fortunes of the nation.

Mr Chimombe said: “For President Mnangagwa to be re-elected, it’s through economic empowerment.

“We are moving in line with his vision of empowering the youths.

“AAG is an already empowered organisation whose mandate is to support the youths in line with Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1).

“We have a lot of investors that would want to partner us and recently we signed a US$20 million mining and farming equipment deal. As AAG we follow the law, any of our entrepreneurs averting tax they have to be put under the hook.

“Any person who refuses to remit tax to Zimra hiding behind AAG’s name should be brought to book,” he said.

Mr Chimombe lamented how youths were failing to come up with business proposals to access financial assistance adding that AAG was solidly behind Zanu PF and President Mnangagwa’s leadership.

Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mary Mliswa-Chikoka challenged entrepreneurs to share ideas and help each other towards empowerment.

“If you share you become stronger and we don’t want this to be another talk without walk. This should be the channel through which many will be empowered.

“We have seen the economy grow and becoming one of the fastest growing economies in Sub Saharan Africa due to the visionary leadership of President Mnangagwa.

“The Zimbabwean economy is indeed open for business and AAG should support the Second Republic’s agenda towards Vision 2030.

She said was working to ensure that indigenous businesses were part of the mainstream economy including artisanal miners. The AAG provincial theme, “Protecting Artisanal Miners” seeks to tap into the gold industry which is expected to contribute to the envisaged US$12 billion mining industry.

Zimbabwe Miners Federation provincial vice chairperson and Chegutu West legislator, Cde Dexter Nduna, challenged AAG to create a window of opportunity for marginalised blacks through funds mobilisation and distribution.