(STICKY) Mwaanga notes nation’s declining revenue base

COMMENT - This is what happens when you rather take a bribe than tax the mines. These bribe artists now say 'the government is doing everything to broaden the tax base', meaning they want to figure out how to steal more money from the people, so they won't have to tax their generous friends in the mines. Treason.

Mwaanga notes nation’s declining revenue base
By Patson Chilemba
Sun 03 Oct. 2010, 04:01 CAT

MMD Parliamentary Chief Whip Vernon Mwaanga yesterday observed that the country’s revenue base has been declining.

Opening the sensitization workshop on the National Budget at Parliament buildings, Mwaanga said official reports showed that the economy was poised to grow at 6.6 per cent by the end of 2010, while inflation was expected to close at 8.0 per cent and the exchange rate would continue to be stable. He said these were strong indicators which should be appreciated.

“However, while the economy continues to register such remarkable figures, the government is aware that the revenue base has been declining. In this regard, the government is doing everything possible to broaden the tax base,” Mwaanga said.

He said the purpose of the workshop was to sensitise members of parliament in the light of the National Budget to be presented to Parliament by finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane this Friday.

Mwaanga said in Zambia, the role of Parliament in the budget process had been basically limited to approval of the budget when it was presented.

He said beyond that, Parliament had only been actively involved through the Public Accounts Committee.

He said like parliaments in many other countries, the Zambian Parliament had been undergoing reforms requiring the involvement of parliamentarians in the pre-budget process.

Mwaanga said in these reforms, it was envisaged that the participation of members of parliament in the budget process would be enhanced.

“This way, the budget will, to a large extent, reflect the needs of the ordinary people,” he said.

Mwaanga said the national budget was an important planning tool in allocating resources among various competing needs.

Mwaanga said the budget was also a monitoring tool used by various stakeholders, including members of parliament, civil society and the general public, in holding the government accountable.