Harness the use of AI in tax collection

PARLIAMENT has called upon the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) to harness the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to capitalise on the growth of tax collection and transform revenue collection at the country’s border posts, in order to boost the Government’s coffers.

Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, presenting his keynote address on Wednesday morning at the National 2026 Pre-Budget Seminar, said that through the deployment of predictive analytics, blockchain technology, and automated compliance monitoring, AI will enhance administrative efficiency and encourage voluntary compliance across all sectors of the economy, including the informal sector, thereby enhancing revenue streams.

“What are we waiting for?” Adv Mudenda questioned.

“Beyond conventional tax revenue inflows, infrastructure development necessitates exploring alternative financing mechanisms that augment Government financial resources while creating sustainable funding models for long-term development.

Evidently, pension and insurance funds command substantial capital reserves that remain conspicuously underutilised for national development and infrastructure financing, now standing at 6 percent capacity utilisation against the 20 percent legally allowable threshold for expending in prescribed assets,” he said.

He gave an example of Ethiopia, stating that the country has built the Great Nile Dam using such bonds.

“Beyond pension and insurance funds, the Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) portfolio can also provide viable options for buttressing the National Budgetary fiscal demands,” Adv Mudenda said.

More to follow…