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Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has drafted a law to fight corruption and enhance operational efficiency within the tax collector, acting commissioner general Happias Kuzvinzwa has said.
He said this while responding to questions from the floor during a two-day ease of doing business seminar that ended in Bulawayo on Saturday.
“We’ve seen some tendencies by our tax advisors assisting tax payers to do tax avoidance schemes. We’ve drafted a law, which is before the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development and once approved it will come before you (Parliamentarians),” said Kuzvinzwa.
He urged the tax payers who include businesses and State enterprises to meet their tax obligations to improve the country’s revenue base.
“Through the Value Added Tax (VAT) system everyone is obliged to contribute to tax payment,” he said.
Last week, the Zimra board suspended its commissioner-general Gershem Pasi and five other senior executive managers after questions were raised over the importation of vehicles.
Pasi and five other executive managers- Sithokozile Mrewa, Annah Mutombodzi, Tjiyapo Velempini, Clive Majengwa and Charlton Chihuri were sent on paid leave.
Their suspensions came amid reports that Zimra was losing millions of dollars to dealers who processed counterfeit undervalued import documents to smuggle vehicles and other products into the country.
Media reports say, several people, some of them former Zimra employees, allegedly act as clearing agents and have been arrested for prejudicing the State of various amounts of money in separate incidents.
Last year, the tax collector adopted a raft of measures that include lifestyle audits, whistle blower facilities, and extensive post clearance audits as part of efforts to combat crime within its operations.
Over the years, concerns have been raised that the country was being affected by financial leakages due to alleged corrupt tendencies by some Zimra employees. The country’s border posts have been cited as some of the places where corruption takes place.
Online Reporter