HCAZ implores government to cut licence fees

HCAZ implores government to cut licence fees
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Tue 13 Dec. 2011, 11:59 CAT

HOTEL and Catering Association of Zambia Copperbelt region chairperson Kenneth Mulalami has appealed to local government and environmental protection minister Professor Nkandu Luo to reduce business licence fees for hotels and guesthouses.

The Rupiah Banda government in July this year instructed all councils to increase business licence fees for hotels and guesthouses from K750,000 to K5 million. In an interview, Mulalami said the increment was not fair.

He said it was not in order for big hotels and small guesthouses to be paying the same amount of money in licence fees.

Mulalami said the new licence fee had disturbed many businesses as many guesthouses had stopped operating.

He asked Prof Luo to consider reducing the fee to a reasonable amount that everyone would be able to afford.

"Hotel and guesthouses are not supposed to pay the same amount. Guesthouses should pay a less amount, but for starters, the minister should give us a general reduction. This issue should be resolved before many guesthouses stop running," said Mulalami.