Introduced tariff on internet calls is outright theft – Nawakwi

Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) President Edith Nawakwi has charged that the introduction of the 30 Ngwee per day tariff on internet based phone calls by government is outright theft from the people.

In a walk-in interview with Q-news, Ms Nawakwi who has been out of the media limelight for a while has accused government of colluding with the three mobile phone network providers to steal from the people.

She says the introduction of the 30 Ngwee tariff on internet based phone calls is illegal without parliamentary approval.

Ms. Nawakwi who is also former Finance Minister says government cannot introduce a tax midstream without the authority of parliament.

She has since demanded that the tariff be done away with forthwith.

Ms. Nawakwi says the Minister of Finance and the Attorney General should have advised Cabinet that tax cannot be simply introduced without consulting the people’s representatives in parliament.

The FDD leader adds that the concern of government should be the cost of doing business in the country especially by phone.

And Ms Nawakwi says contrary to assertion, internet based phone calls are not free.