COMMENT - Finance Minister Musokotwane is a nominated MP with no constituency to represent? I did not know that. Maybe that is why he is so dismissive of the electorate.
Musokotwane has started campaigning, Ndalamei reveals
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Sat 28 May 2011, 04:01 CAT
FINANCE minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane is busy campaigning in his ‘constituency’ for this year’s polls, says secretary to the Treasury Likolo Ndalamei. Officiating at the official launch of Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) call centre yesterday, Ndalamei said ministers were currently in the field campaigning.
“I am here to read the speech on behalf of the Minister of Finance and National Planning because as you know most politicians are busy campaigning in their constituencies, so, we civil servants have to stand in for them,” Ndalamei said.
Dr Musokotwane is a nominated member of parliament with no constituency to represent.
Recently, the government dispatched ministers to all provinces to explain developmental programmes being implemented by MMD government.
Sources in Western Province indicated that Dr Musokotwane is campaigning in Liuwa Constituency.
And Ndalamei said the launch of ZRA call centre, which could be accessed on all networks by dialing 5972, would help to ease the cost of doing business in the country.
ZRA call centre facility and customer service line provides an effective tool for bridging communication gap between ZRA and the taxpayers and for assessing feedback from customers on various tax matters.
And board chairman Christopher Mundia said modernising operations of ZRA would help to widen the tax base.
Mundia, in a speech read for him by board member Mwangala Zaloumis, said the new system being introduced at ZRA included facilities for electronic commerce by providing interfaces for electronic filling and electronic payments.
“It is envisaged that such a platform will greatly improve ZRA’s service delivery to taxpayers,” said Mundia.
“While the majority of our potential taxpayers fall outside the formal sector, the new changes currently going on at ZRA through modernisation programme are meant to bring the informal sector on board.”
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, CHRISTOPHER MUNDIA, LIKOLO NDALAMEI, MWANGALA ZALOUMIS, SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE, ZRA
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Judge asks ZRA to educate public on variable profits tax
By By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Sun 16 Jan. 2011, 03:59 CAT
NDOLA Judge-in-Charge Munalula Lisimba has requested ZRA to educate the public on variable profits tax and give reasons why it is more preferable in Zambia than windfall tax.
During the ZRA Copperbelt sensitisation workshop for the Judiciary at Mukuba Hotel in Ndola yesterday, judge Lisimba said taxes were important not only to the government that needs to raise the revenue to finance its operations but also to people who benefit from the revenue collected. He said
there could be little or no economic advancement without taxes.
“I am aware that taxation is a highly specialised area and I hope this workshop will help to augment our knowledge in taxation matters. May I take this opportunity to request the Commissioner General to also educate us on the subject of variable profits tax and comment on the reasons why it is more preferable in our country than the windfall tax especially against the back-drop of increased copper prices on the London Metal Exchange,” he said.
Judge Lisimba also observed that the High Court, especially at Ndola, was receiving few appeals on the tax assessments from the tax appeal court in terms of Section 111 of the income tax Act, cap 321.
“I can only surmise that this is attributable to the excellent manner in which the Commissioner General does his assessments which give little or no room for objections from taxpayers,” said judge Lisimba.
And ZRA board chairman Christopher Mundia said since the establishment of ZRA, a number of reforms had been implemented.
Mundia said the initial set of reforms focused on developing systems, infrastructure and capacities in order to have effective administration of the legislation in tax laws.
Labels: CHRISTOPHER MUNDIA, TAXATION, WINDFALL TAX, ZRA
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Judge reserves ruling to have Rupiah cross examined in court
By Namatama Mundia
Mon 28 June 2010, 16:50 CAT
LUSAKA High Court judge Charles Kajimanga has reserved ruling in a matter where President Rupiah Banda through his lawyer Christopher Mundia instituted contempt proceedings against The Post.
Judge Kajimanga reserved ruling in the matter to July 9 following an application by Post Editor Fred Mmembe’s lawyers for leave to have President Banda come to court to be cross-examined on the contents of his affidavit evidence.
This is in a matter where President Banda instituted contempt proceedings against The Post. On September 26, 2008, President Banda, through his lawyer Mundia filed a writ of summons and a statement of claim in the High Court seeking damages for alleged defamation by The Post.
Simultaneously, with the documents in question, President Banda applied for an ex parte order for interlocutory injunction restraining The Post from publishing libelous words against him in their editorials and reports.
The ex parte order was granted on September 27, 2008 and judge Kajimanga set October 3, 2008 for the determination of the application for an interlocutory injunction inter parte.
On September 28 and 29, 2008, The Post allegedly published articles that President Banda thought were highly defamatory.
The defamatory materials according to President Banda also included an editorial/opinion, which he said was a total disregard of the ex parte order granted by the court earlier on. President Banda then filed summons for leave to commence contempt proceedings pursuant to Order 52 rule 2 of the Supreme Court Rules.
And Judge Kajimanga reserved his ruling.
Defence Lawyer George Chisanga made an application following an observation by the Supreme Court on October 27, 2009 that the defendant’s lawyers would have an opportunity to cross-examine the applicant (President Banda) at the hearing of the contempt proceedings.
“We are asking the court for leave to get Mr Banda to come to court and be cross-examined on whether the court can make a decision on whether or not to commit Fred Mmembe to prison or to punish him in any way,” he said.
Chisanga said his application means that President Banda would have to stand in the witness box to be cross-examined by the defence.
But Mundia objected to the application arguing that President Banda has a right to rely on his affidavit evidence without necessarily coming to court.
He said to try to tell the court that affidavit evidence can not be used is a total misunderstanding of the Supreme Court judgment.
He prayed that the application for leave be rejected because it would delay the due process of law in the matter and if anything, it is the applicant who is prejudiced.
Mundia said the applicant has continued to be prejudiced as if there is no law.
“May the application be dismissed and we proceed with the main matter, justice delayed is justice denied. The case started in 2008 and we pray that the matter continues,” he said.
And Mundia has submitted that since the grant of injunction on September 27, 2008, the defendant has behaved and continues to behave with impunity as if he is above the law.
Mundia stated that in the article of September 28, 2008, the defendant accused the plaintiff of dishing out sugar and mealie meal like a sugar daddy to the electorate and that he would only survive criticism if he conducted clean and honest campaigns.
Mundia submitted that for the purposes of emphasis, the order of interlocutory injunction was distinct, clear in its substances and in the language used.
“It is being violated with impunity and it has continued to be violated by the defendant almost on a daily basis, a situation which is highly frightening as the defendant is using its worldwide coverage to destroy the plaintiff seeking refuge and protection through the injunction issued by this court,” submitted Mundia.
Labels: CHARLES KAJIMANGA, CHRISTOPHER MUNDIA, RUPIAH BANDA
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