The Post should pay taxes – ActionAid

ActionAid Zambia Country Director Nalucha Ziba

ActionAid Zambia has called on the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) to enforce and apply the tax collections fairly and independently on all entities including multinational companies who may be in arrears or engaged in tax avoidance practices.

And the organization says the Post Newspapers should pay taxes and any tax arrears that they may owe to ZRA just like any tax payer.

In a statement made available to QFM News, ActionAid Zambia Country Director Nalucha Ziba says her organization like many other stakeholders in the country have watched with keen interest the developments surrounding the Zambia Revenue Authority statements and actions regarding the Post Newspapers tax affairs and tax dispute.

Ms Ziba says her organization believes that both local and foreign companies must pay their fair share of taxes as long as they are operating in Zambia.

She says it is necessary that the Zambian government raises tax revenue in a progressive manner by ensuring that those who earn more income and make profits pay a proportionately higher amount of taxes than those who earn less.

And Ms Ziba has called on ZRA to act on all the other cases of possible tax evasion and avoidance or indebtedness by Multinational Companies (MNCs) with the same exuberance they have shown in the case of the Post Newspaper.

She explains that her organization has produced numerous studies and evidence showing specific cases where the Multinational companies are engaged in shifting profits outside the country for purposes of avoiding or minimum the taxes they pay in the country.

She says she is concerned by some capacity challenges faced by Zambia Revenue Authority that may hamper their efficient tax collection as it relates to the MNCs and the national businesses.