Burden of taxation will be heavy in 2019, projects Milupi

The opposition Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD) has projected that the burden of taxation in the 2019 financial year is likely to be heavy on the Zambian people.

ADD president Charles Milupi says his party’s projection is based on the measures announced in the K86.8 billion 2019 national budget.

Mr. Milupi has wondered how government will  raise the equivalent of K30 billion or 35.3 percent of the national budget, through loans and donations other than through taxation.

In an interview with QTV News Mr. Milupi states that for the fact that Zambia will no longer have the  cooperation of donors, this 35.3 percent void in the budget will in fact be the fiscal deficit.

Mr. Milupi says the people in the Country should therefore brace themselves for more taxation next year.

He is urging them to be wary that the first thing government has done, to this effect, is to raise the price of pump fuel.

Mr. Milupi notes that his worry, however, is that such a tax structure will not encourage people to grow the economy.