AMI Senior Adviser Wangethi Mwangi, Post Editor Fred M’membe, IPI Executive Board Chair John Yearwood and IPI Director of Advocacy Steven M. Ellis during a meeting in Lusaka, Zambia on July 14, 2016
The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has disregarded a tribunal order to reopen the offices of The Post newspaper which was closed in June over non-payment of taxes.
A Tax Appeals Tribunal reaffirmed its instructions to the ZRA but the newspapers’ offices remain closed.
On July 27, 2016, the tribunal ordered tax ZRA to hand over seized properties of the newspaper until a full appeal can be heard and to initiate an immediate process through which the company could pay undisputed amounts to the revenue authority.
The tribunal’s registrar, Chola Shapi Mutambo, dismissed with costs, the ZRA’s application to set aside the order granted to Post Newspapers Limited.
In her ruling last Wednesday, Mutambo said she was satisfied that the newspaper publisher had adhered to all the requirements of the Tax Appeals Tribunal Act. The substantive case would however to heard at a later date.
“I find that the respondent’s (ZRA) application to dismiss the notice of appeal and discharge the … order has no merit to justify such action. I accordingly dismiss this application with the costs to the appellants. “Mutambo is said.
In June, officials of the Zambia Revenue Authority – according to the Post, under instruction from the government and accompanied by security officers – went to the offices of the newspaper demanding disputed tax arrears of about K53 million.
And the International Press Institute (IPI) says Zambian authorities should stop defying a court order to allow opposition newspaper The Post to access its offices and printing presses and resume regular publication while the correct amount of a disputed tax bill is determined.
The call followed Wednesday’s ruling by Zambia’s Tax Appeals Tribunal upholding the order and rejecting the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA)’s bid to block The Post from obtaining review of a 54-million-kwacha bill for allegedly unpaid VAT receipts and income tax withholding.
Registrar Chola Shapi Mutambo said in an interlocutory ruling that the ZRA’s refusal to even consider the paper’s objections to the amount gave the Tribunal jurisdiction to hear The Post’s appeal.
“It is against the rules of natural justice to simply refuse to consider objections to an assessment brought on appeal by a taxpayer,” she wrote. “This, in a way, is hindering the justice system.”
The registrar similarly rejected the ZRA’s argument that the Tribunal could not stay a seizure that the ZRA contended already happened. Noting that the execution against Post property was “a process” that remains ongoing, she opined that “[t]here was much to be stayed” when The Post sought the order in the days immediately following the ZRA’s initial June 21 seizure of its offices and printing press.
IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis said that IPI was pleased by the decision, but that it remained troubled by the ZRA’s willingness to disobey the Tribunal’s order and its refusal to even listen to The Post’s objections to the bill.
“We are happy that The Post will finally have its day in court to challenge this tax bill, which by all indications appears to be a pretext to silence an alternative voice ahead of elections,” IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis.
“Nevertheless, it defies belief that the ZRA would not only flout a court order, but waste time and taxpayers’ money in a fight to keep from even sitting down with The Post to resolve the matter.”
He continued: “As delegates from IPI and the African Media Initiative (AMI) noted following a joint emergency press freedom mission to Zambia last month, this case is not about taxes. If it was, the ZRA would work with The Post to reconcile the amount owed; The Post would be operating at full capacity, generating even more vital tax revenue; and private printers who have allowed the newspaper to survive since the seizure would not be suffering raids and intimidation by government agents.”
“We urge authorities to end this misguided effort, which is an affront not only to The Post’s right to publish, but to Zambian voters’ right to freely share and receive information.”
The order that the ZRA is was challenging directs the ZRA to release The Post’s bank accounts and hand back its premises and equipment so that it can conduct business.
The order also requires The Post to pay whatever portion of the bill that it believes it actually owes while turning over other property in the value of 53 million kwacha to serve as security in exchange for the property released.
IPI and other observers have raised concerns that the ongoing seizure of The Post is an attempt to limit critical coverage of President Edgar Lungu and the ruling Patriotic Front party government in advance of next week’s elections.
Which country would allow criminality to go unabated in the area of taxation? Zambia is not a satellite state for any NGO to issue unrealistic orders that are illegal and amount to economic sabotage. Mobilize resources and help your partner in crime to retire his debt to the national treasury. Zambians already paid him their tax for remittance to the state. We want every ngwee accounted to pay for building of hospitals, schools, smart roads and for national security needs.
I wanted to comment but Senior Citizen has covered my points
WELL SAID BY THE TRIBUNAL AND I QUOTE:
“The order also requires The Post to pay whatever portion of the bill that it believes it actually owes while turning over other property in the value of 53 million kwacha to serve as security in exchange for the property released.”
NOW IF THE ENTIRE PROPERTY AMOUNTS TO LESS THAN K53m WHY SHOULD ZRA GIVE IT BACK TO THE POST?
Only in a failed State would such mediocrity of disrespecting the courts, rule of law & freedom of expression can be entertained by dictatorial tendencies.
Its visionless & violent Lungu Changwa Edgar with his PF bandits at ZRA violating the Rule of Law. Lungu is a lawyer of corrupt drunkards!
Thank goodness in 8 days visionless Edgar~Hoover~ Lungu with his PF scam bags at ZRA & PF chatterboxes’ will be HISTORY! Come what may, rain, snow or sunshine, the “utukunkubiti” PF is BYE bye on 11~8. Viva UPND.
The Skeleton Key
~206~
ZRA are correct and right to ignore this ka tribunal. There was no decision brought by Post to ZRA which can be appealed. Can you just wake up and start appealing a non existent matter . . . .
Just hang-in there Mmembe, only a week. The reopening of your Post Newspaper will be same date at inauguration day after next week.
If PF wins its its good riddance and looks likely to be so…………..
No kidding! What Country on earth allows Companies/corporations, even individuals, to PAY ONLY A PORTION of the Tax Bill they feel they owe? What sort of nonsense is this?
The BASIC PROCEDURE, in nearly every Country on earth, is that YOU SETTLE THE TOTAL TAX BILL FIRST and then file for a REFUND if you feel you OVER PAID. These so called I-FIMO-FIMOs should know this, because it is standard procedure where they come from. So why are they promoting nonsense in other Countries?
FOR GOODNESS SAKE, THE “TAX TRIBUNAL” WAS NEVER MEANT TO ACT AS A “COURT”! And for that matter, a Court that can OVERRULE a Supreme Court’s decision.
So how do you expect The post to pay up if they are not operating, think of the employees and future tax remittance, it’s a win win issue if the post are allowed to operate ZRA must be acting from instructions from government
@Senior Citizen 9 days before History repeats itself or is broken.
Every successive Zambian President has served a shorter time in office than his Predecessor.
KK leads the way with 27 years 9days
FTJ 10yrs 61days.
Levy 6yrs 230 days.
RB 3yrs 86days.
MCS 3yrs 35days.
ECL…???
Hidden Hagenda (HH) stole money to become a billionaire in Zambia which is just a paltry $ 7 million in US dollar terms. He is cursed never to rule Zambia because of his greed.
Today this Kaponya (HH) supports Fred Mmembe’s theft of Taxpayer’s money.
Vote for the Politically Fit (PF) and Peaceful Friends (PF) who will ensure that Fred Mmembe pays back the $ 6 million which belongs to us true Zambians.
Peaceful Zambians let us also ensure that we send these crooks to jail like Mmembe who cry out to dubious international NGOs and economic rapists.
Fred Mmembe and Kaponya (HH) have ties to the neo-colonialist, farggot agenda pushing multinationals, international mafia, Boer thug types and mercenaries of all sorts. Let not these economic rapists undermine the authority and mandate of our local law enforcement wings in our Sovereign State.
We can only go as far as allowing them to raise money for Mmembe and pay his tax bill which he owes the ZRA.
Why are these cheap crooks Mwangi, Yearwood and Ellis failing to raise money for the Post yet they are getting an allowance for spending months in our peaceful country? They are not here for Freedom of the Press. These quacks also…
survive through travelling allowance. They are no different from us. They are just extending their stay in Zambia unnecessarily.
The longer they camp at Fred Mmembe’s house the more allowance they receive, the easier it is for them to feed their families.
These Mwangi, Yearwood and Ellis are simply hungry people with no mission.
How can they talk about Freedom of the Press in Zambia on an empty stomach? Without allowances they can’t feed their families where they come from. These are cheap, neo-colonialist opportunists and mercenaries.
Let them raise his tax bill or send them back to their families. Quacks! Get out!
let us hope that lungu will use his stolen money as wisely as supposedly h h did, but sadly we know how that money will be spend, drinking paying for abortions etc. what i am trying to stress to you kudos is GIVE A DOG A BAD NAME AND HANG HIM. you are a lazy bum being paid money to blog maliciously and you think everyone sits on their toosh and uses the fingers to spread poison on the internet like you. get a job
Kudos,
The law is the law and must be respected. Courts not only interpret the law they determine what the law is.
I am a lawyer and thus I find the stance of Lungu PF using ZRA to disobey court orders an egregious crime. This political lynching of the court is unacceptable. And so armed with my voters card, nrc and corpus I shall make my judgment by being at voters court by 04h30 on 11 August 2016. My judgment has been already written.
Iwe @Juito…, the Tax Tribunal is NOT, and I repeat, NOT a CIURT! It was NEVER meant to act in the same way/capacity, or with the same CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY our Courts do. Especially after a case has already been heard and adjudicated by the highest Court in the land, the SUPREME COURT. Which RULED that ZRA can go ahead and Collect what is owed by The Post. So where does M’membe get the audacity to go back to a QUASI-COURT (which is what the Tax Tribunal is) to STOP THE WHEELS OF JUSTUCE set in motion by the Supreme Court?
What is even amazing is that he managed to find one DUBIOUS Regislar at the Tax Tribunal to actually entertain this cr@p—only in Zambia can this kind of sh!t be allowed—other Countries do NOT play when it comes to Taxes—BELIEVE THAT!
Yamba yours is the best counter to these charlatans who only think on trbal lines. What you have said is how it should be. Kudos.
If HH stole take him to court, find evidence don’t be so dull
The fools must know that a tax tribunal is not above the Supreme Court. The courts have rules and regulations and when a court makes a ruling, in this case the supreme court, no group can overrule them.
Those who love the post newspaper can pay what they owe the people of Zambia.
BUSHE MUKOMFWA LILALI?
Please don’t expose your ignorance on matters about which you know nothing. The stay which issued from the Tax Appeals Tribunal concerns a different tax liability assessment from the one which was the subject of the Supreme Court’s determination. What ZRA is doing is simply illegal , period.
@Kampeni, its you who is a fool and not the Judge who issued the order.
Trust me, there is a reason judges and lawyers are called learned. Law is hierarchical and all who are in the profession know and respect this order religiously. A court will not on more than one occasion utter nonsense. Nonsense if the preserve of laymen like you, Kampeni.
Imwe ka chilatu …. LOOKS LIKE U HAVE A THICK SKULL..like Fred and HH .
please tell us when Your Post approached ZRA and the what ruling was made to make them appeal to the Tax Tribunal, otherwise stop pretending to be clever . . . . Can U appeal a Supreme Court ruling at some ka tribunal… which u now call a Court! The next correct thing to do is for YOUR COURT/TRIBUNAL to invoke contempt of Court procedures.THEY WONT DO SO BCOZ THEY DONT HAVE THOSE POWERS! You fooool your whole clan of illiterates will anyway vote ECL…. wenyo
where is the problem kanshi? y can’t they just pay and continue running. does it mean wen u a opposing government u a not suppose to pay tax cos I remember my brothers company in chingola was shut due to non payment of tac
Ignorance is a disease. Can all well meaning Zambians stand up to oppose these guys who are using ZRA to punish Zambians. Currently the ZRA is issuing demand notices on taxes which are arising from their inefficiencies. Unless you are just dull, a tribunal was set to resolve issues before you run to the supreme court. The government is the people and if the people start ignoring themselves, then we have a failed state.
Oh they closed your brother’s company eh, now ask why they have not closed down ZESCo, ZNBC, Times of Zambia Tec because all these institutions are owing even more than what the Post NP owes. Can we say that some animals are more animals than others? So all of you who are denouncing the Post, ask ZRA for an account of your PAYE status and see if what is deducted from your salaries is already sitting in the BOZ. ZRA indeed is busy pursuing debts that have arisen from their own systems failure. Now is this fair? Isn’t this stealing from the General public?
By @Zambia lekeni uku sabaila!
Your kind of defense for The Post’s f00lishness is the same old classic: ” YES I stole, but you first need to catch/prosecute these other people I ‘suspect’ are stealing also before you can come after me.”
Does this even sound logical to you?
INSTEAD OF THOSE KANGAROO TRIBUNALS, WHAT DID THE SUPREME COURT SAY? PLEASE M’MEMBE, PAY THE TAXES. AND YOU WILL BE FREE TO INSULT THE GOVERNMENT. WE ARE MISSING YOUR SIDE OF THE STORIES. BUT BE RESPONSIBLE. PAY YOUR TAXES FIRST.
He has to pay what he owes. ZRA fails to reconcile the accounts. Not everything they say you owe is correct.
ZRA is 100% right to ignore the post in retaliation to what the post did by ignoring to remit the tax. The post are very rude people
Check your tax status before you condemn another taxpayer!
You have never dealt with ZRA, Looks like you either council, GRZ or intercity bus stop employee, if you work in private company, you must be very far from where Tax issues are concerned. You dont even understand something to do tax return, payments and how penalties and interests are accrued. Consult tax experts before you make a comment. The current ZRA system introduced in 2013 is fake and generates wrong penalties even when tax is paid in time. It is terrible guys. Open your own business and you see the messy!
RA is not cooperating I this issue and at the end of it, it will seem they are getting instructions from someone aimed at fixing the post. In all fairness, we all know the post is owing, but it should be allowed a process to paying back. Closing it completely is not helping anyway especially at this critical time. Inkongole shibi mwa!
@KKK. They are getting instructions from Zambians. Unless you don’t pay any tax yourself. You must be a total retard and f00l.
go back to school to acquire proper tools of analysis
Masau, I’m advocating for ZRA to find a suitable solution to get that money back. My point is that closing down the newspaper will not pay all the debt and yet we still expect them to pay and yet they’re not generating in finances. By the way no need to be rude, let us debate maturely!
can the post news paper interprets supreme court ruling to the people of Zambia?
@Kokoliko. To help explain the situation, think of the following: The Supreme court ruling ralates to debt “A”, which has been settled in full. What is currently at issue is debt “B”, which the Post is disputing. ZRA say they owe K53million (including penalties) but the Post don’t agree. This is what the Post, correctly, has taken to the tribunal. The Tribunal has ruled that the Post pays what is says it owes and give surety upto K53million while this case is being resolved. This, to me, makes perfect sense.
Why is ZRA refusing to obey such a straight forward order? Becoz ECL wants to “fix” the Post. Very sad indeed. We are undermining our own courts for the sake of political gain! Don’t push pipo too far!
By closing the Post is ZRA being paid the tax due?How can the Post pay the tax if its not generating revenue from operations? How can u get milk from a dairy cow which is not feeding? Clearly this issue is not a tax issue but political. Its extremely worrying that ZRA a govt body is refusing to obey a Court Order on directives from State House. The lack of respect of the Rule of Law and Property Rights explains why Zambia is now a lawless country under the failed leadership of Lungu. For the same reasons illegal Ministers are abusing state resources and looting public funds. The Concourt is aiding and abetting this plunder of public funds. We have now witnessed a break down of rule of law as innocent civilians are beaten, shot and murdered under Lungu’s watch. Zambians on 11th August we…
ba mwila mbuya… Your Post rushed to court instead of the Tribunal and after exhausting the legal route and supreme courts hammered final nail in the coffin Your Post then approaches some ka tribunal as an after thought……They should have started with the tribunal before going to the high court….. they have hit a stone wall. Dununa reverse in action!
They failed to pay and now ZRA will sell all assets to recover whatever they can. No one cares about Fred or his employees etc its not important anymore. Just Pay it will show hahahahahahahahaha
Simple. By impounding their assets. It us done to all defaulters. Let them pay and operate in harmony. How can one refuse to remit VAT which is collected on behalf of the government?
The Supreme Court ruling is higher than that useless tribunal and if Mmembe wants let him go to the international court of Justice we see if they will give him a reprieve…We the Zambians have instructed the ZRA to collect all taxes from everyone because no one is above the Law…
@ zakeyo
your knowledge of international law is same as quality of your reasoning.
Absolute RUBBISH!!!
From where did you got idea that a “individual” can go to the ICC?
Please, stop pretending that you are knowledgeable when you are just uneducated blabber.
Well spoken. Now if you have what it takes as a ‘people’ of Zambia, go to ZRA and ask for tax status of all GRZ and Quasi GRZ institutions including ZRA and see if they have clean statements of account for all tax types? I guess the saying that if you live in a glass house you cannot throw stones makes sense! After all the requirement to pay taxes is enshrined in the Law of Zambia and is not selective as it stands! Is your finger still pointing at The Post NP? And where are the other fingers pointing at?
@ Zenji tell your Supreme Leader HH of the UPND to pay for the crook Mmembe and the Post Newspapers the tax…Just on this one majority of sense able people will vote for a person who does not support criminals next week…Why is Mmembe not talking about the Supreme Court ruling which said he was supposed to pay the outstanding amount from 2006 when he manipulated late Presidents Mwanawasa and then late Sata in 2011respectively by not paying taxes with impunity…
@ Zakeyo
IMBEC1LE, I am talking about ICJ and your inbreed iMBECIL1TY. Who cares a sh!t about post, hh or effing lungu.
It is your IMBEC1LITY that I am questioning you uneducated son of many fathers
@ Zenji You are emotional typical of the bitter person because you know that your preferred presidential candidate is losing next week because he’s not saleable to us Majority Zambians hence the insults but I forgive you cos the truth really pains…
@ zakeyo
You are forgiving me for your inbred Imbec1lity? No, nothing to do with me. Ask any of your many fathers for their genetic map.
Chakolwa will not allow the post to resume operations.
The comments of most bloggers here are informed by ignorance of the relevant facts or otherwise motivated by prejudice against The Post. The stay which ZRA continues to ignore does NOT relate to the tax liability which was the subject of determination by the Supreme Court. The Post had already settled that liability by the time the matter was heard by the Supreme Court. The matter now before the Tax Appeals Tribunal (TAT) concerns a new demand notice whose correctness or propriety The Post is challenging in TAT. So lets not confuse the two separate matters. In any event, The Post is legally entitled to challenge the tax liability issue to its logical conclusion. By defying an order duly issued by a competent adjudicating authority, ZRA is promoting lawlessness.
What are they appealing at the TAT? When was the decision made by ZRA which they are appearing???? You cant just wake up and start appealing . . . .Why is TAT not enforcing contempt charges. . . .!? Yakosa bola just follow the Supreme Court ruling
@Chilatu…, So what exactly did the Supreme Court say ZRA is legally entitled to collect/recover from The Post if the Tax Debt was already settled by the time the case was heard in the Supreme Court?
You really what us to believe that the Supreme Court of Zambia is so INEPTY that it would render a Judgement in favour of ZRA to collect a Tax Debt that has already been settled? Come on now, don’t insult people’s intelligence. This is the same kind LEGAL JARGON and GAMES M’membe has been playing for far too ling. At some point people just need to MAN-UP and pay their debts/taxes like everyone else!
Enough of these Court Games M’membe has been play. WHY NOT PAY FIRST AND THEN FILE FOR A REFUND, AND IF ZRA DOES NOT COOPERATE, THEN TAKE THEM TO COURT. That’s what RESPONSIBLE…
@ Yambayamba
IMBEC1LE, read Tax Appeals Tribunal Act before showing your inbreed IMBECIL1TY. Tax Appeal Tribunal has rightful jurisdiction on all tax matters and if not satisfied with the decision, then you can appeal to the Supreme Court on the point of law and fact or to the Constitutional Court on the point of fundamental rights.
Do you understand that IMBEC1LE?
Okay with due respect The Post has to settle it’s tax bill as demanded then use other channels to review and correct the dispute. However I then expect ZRA to move on to the Times of Zambia and others owing on taxes as failure to do so will authenticate belief that there is more than meets the eye in the way The Post is being treated!
THE POST LIKE EVERY CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY HAVE THE RIGHT TO APPEAL AND TO HEARD. THE PEOPLE WHO WORKER AT THE POST HAVE FAMILIES TO FEED JUST LIKE EACH ONE OF US. IF ANYTHING, WE SHOULD HAVE SEEN MORE PRESSURE ON ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL WHICH OWES IN EXCESS OF K700 MILLION. THE FACT THAT THE SAME PRESSURE HAS NOT BEEN APPLIED ON THEM MAKES THIS POLITICAL. LAWS SHOULD BE APPLIED FAIRLY AND EQUITABLY
JJ Low is low on common sense. Zambia Daily Mail is a state owned institution. Their role is to inform you and me of the happenings in the country. The post newspaper’s agenda is to PHD anyone that they don’t like.
Those who are old know that post newspaper started well, with decency, but when decency left the company many directors sold their shares
Selective Justice is no Justice at all! Posterity will judge PF, Lungu and his minions harshly on this matter!
But if you keep his business closed, how do you expect him to raise some funds and pay you the tax that he owes you?ZRA, use your heads.
DONT BE DULL. THE DAILY MAIL IS OWNED BY GOVERNMENT. AND THE DAILY MAIL CAN ONLY GET THE MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT. AND THE GOVERNMENT CAN ONLY GIVE MONEY TO THE DAILY MAIL IF TAX PAYERS LIKE M’MEMBE PAYS THEIR TAXES. SO WHICH EVER WAY YOU LOOK T IT, THE BACK FALLS ON M’MEBE TO PAY HIS TAXES. PERIOD.
It seems to me that Lusaka Times is supporting the PF government instead of being non partisan as a media. Its become like the Zambian watchdog especially when you read statements such as “stop defying a court order to allow opposition newspaper The Post” How do you say the OPPOSITION newspaper instead of the newspaper.. Just like the Zambian watchdog writes the PF Police instead of the POLICE
Why doesn’t the tribunal relate it’s rantings with the rulling from the Supreme Court? Kale posing’a nokuposing’a ka Mmembe kwati kalelipila!! Are you people supporting Mmembe with the elections references telling me that these tax debts were accumulated during campaigns? #Mmembemustpay.
I conquer with you Kakolwe, Mmembe must pay and no negotiations again, ZRA gave the Post enough time, at least he should have been reducing that tax burden but chose to be pompous.
On this one I will have to side with the Tax tribunal; these committees are there for a reason…only when you are overcharged by ZRA when you import a vehicle will you know its importance.
In zambia we lucky understanding of simple issues. The point here is that the highest court of our beloved country says pay the money. So let’s not say nothing till they pay the 53 million then we can comment. That Post has had its way through siding with government there by avoiding paying tax. I hope they have learnt a lesson of free things. Careful with HH promising free things you’ll end up in a trap.
If ZRA says pay $7000 for a cheap $2500 imported car and you dont have the money who do you complain to? This why consumners rights are none existent in our country because our people are too ignorant or lazy to read…Fred owes money but now its clear that they are just frustrating him…dont be surprised that ZRA will give back the keys to him immediately after the elections whoever wins.
ZRA has lost its respect because of their inconsistencies and inefficiencies. Their taxes are simply outrageous and that is why everybody tries to find a way of reducing or even avoiding to pay. If you have crossed the border lately, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Everybody is trying to find someone who can help reduce the tax amount. If taxes were reasonable, people would pay freely.
And one sitting at the Helm is now K23MILLION richer in a space of one year in office. Can the same ZRA provide proof or statements that he has paid Tax accordingly and what sort of business which he cant tell suffering Zambians to do so that they can also make such kind of money a space of one year in office.
Theres nothing wrong in getting rich in one year as long as you can explain. Just like HH is accused of stealing from Zambians when he offered consultancy services to the government of Zambia during privatization. HH had the skills which he utilized at that time and also tool opportunities to purchase few assets which were floated for sale. In the same vein when you are a president you happen to have president friends like the king of Saudi Arabia who gave over $300million to a president in some Asian countries and K23million is just $2.3M. These are the same ways the Bush family, Obama, Ton Blair name them acquire wealthy. That’s why even FTJ was not found guilty by any court for stealing money but for fiduciary duties.
The people you relate with not only affect your character but also whether you become poor or rich. Even at personal level if you relate with people who like parting and playing before you know it you will be deep in debt and become poor but if you play with investing focused friends you will realize that life is becoming easier despite economic challenges around because the little money you have will be multiplying to cushion you from economic shocks.
The Barotseland Agreement The Zambian Deceit reached a point of No return The greatest indication from the Zambian side of view, that was deceitful, lies and dishonest in coming up with the Barotseland Agreement 1964, are the words of Kenneth Kaunda himself in August 1964: (a) “That it is the government’s full intention that the Barotseland Agreement will be honored fully after independence. (b) “That the government has no wish to interfere with the day to day running of the internal affairs of Barotseland. This is the responsibility of the Barotses government and the intention of the Central Government will be no more than to give the Barotses Government its maximum assistance and co-operation. (c) “That the customary rights in Barotseland will remain with the Litunga, National…
Having worked for ZRA and reached almost close to the top (let me stop here) I find the postings of many devoid of tax knowledge and lack of understanding of the penalty regime the ZRA can and has unleashed on the Post.
Rudimentary analysis of what is claimed as principal by the ZRA and what has been penalized eludes most of the lowly politically polluted comments and minds of hate manifested in these blogs. Tragedy.
It is NOT possible for the Post to owe in excess of K50 million in principal and simple penalties, of which the latter can be waived even by a Commissioner. I speak from working for a long long time at the ZRA.
This is political hot podge and it will unravel after next week. And by then that spineless relative of Lungu and Dudu Mwanakatwe called ‘Germany…
You where just cleaning toilets at ZRA. You have not even said how much Post owes and what penalties have been applied. I thought penalties are supposed to be paid as well. Mind you this issue has been tax evasion from 2009. You are a f00ls. Check your a..ss there are maggots
iwe chi Mulako something – You a liar because a huge chunk of the Post tax bill was waived by Mwanawasa and another huge bill forgiven by chibwi no plan Sata . . . so ka mmembe thinks he is entitled to another waiver. wailasha mambala….if ECL wins The Post will be history
For records, we must state that what was meant for evil has turned out to good for freedom of press. The Post has never once been off the streets and it continues providing vital inside info online, so what has ZRA/PF alliance achieved?? One thing: a keen interest and hunger to await the breaking news from The Post. Stay strong comrade Fred, there are more people in support of what the post stands for than those who continue to ran scared of this brave newspaper. Aluta continua!
Iwe ka M’membe, ububi nga ka HH, you all suck! Give us a break please and just lose peacefully. Thieves like M’membe and HH have NO PLACE IN OUR SOCIETY AND ONLY DESERVE BEING CAGED, PERIOD.
I kind of like what this tribunal judge has said about the Post handing over property to the tune of K53million. That means an independent valuer must be hired by ZRA in accordance with ZPPA tender procedures to value the property and ascertain that it is K53m before further action is taken by the parties in the matter. Now I doubt that the used trucks alone can be worth that much but its up to Mmembe to find other property to hand over in the deal. As long as the value is not established then ZRA is on firm ground. Meantime has Mmembe indicated what he agrees with? Being the rogue that he is, he may suggest K3m, in truth Mmembe is probably bankrupt.
That judge is smart, raising hopes for Mmembe when there is no substance at all to what she has said.
IMBEC1LE, Tax Appeal Tribunal does NOT HAVE JUDGE but “Hon. Chairperson” and the ruling on preliminary question was made by the Hon. Registrar.
IMBEC1LE, Educate yourself before crapping in public
Since when did tribunals become courts? If you are dealing with crooks you know that you have to work very hard. This issue did not start yesterday, it started way back beyond 2009. The only reason it has reached this far is because Mumembe thinks he will be able to twist the arm of every Govt. that comes in and get away with tax obligation. All he (mumembe) does is to cry foul and hope for the best. His schemes are well known by all alert Zambians. He has in the [past used tax payers money and sponsor MISA in Zambia so that he can control the entire so called independent media in Zambia. So this so called Tribunal which has no backbone except to think that it is a court, it cannot be above the supreme court. Who knows who has been paid or on the posts pay row in that so called tribunal…
Your 5tupidity has achieved new height. Tax Appeals Tribunal was established by an Act of Parliament and the adjudicating panel has been appointed by the Minister Of Finance (certain senile geriatric crook going by the name of Chikwanda).
Who has more power Revenue Appeals Tribunal or Supreme Court
On the matter of TAX, you MUST first challenge decision or omission of Commissioner General of ZRA in Tax Appeals Tribunal and if not satisfied you can appeal to either Supreme Court on the point of Law or Point of Law and Fact or to the Constitutional Court on the point of breach of Fundamental Rights.
By the way, Revenue Appeals Tribunal has be renamed as Tax Appeals Tribunal
Chilatu Mwila – Agreed. There is so much ignorance and falsehood by bloggers. The supreme court ruling is something different from the 53 million assessment. But reading words from Yambayamba you can ready hatred and ignorance at worst.
An assessment is subjective and does not mean that some one owes. That is why it is called an assessment. I don’t know if some of these chaps yapping even understand different types of taxes.
Ala bola naikosa bane. Next he fish out a rulling from the toulet and parade it before these crooks. Lipila and ask for help from those minions including ka U5
IMBEC1LE
The issue was explained in full so are we still discussing it? By the way Donald the Trump right now is sweating over his tax returns which he has not updated
THE POST IS A RUMOR MONGERING PAPER AND NO NEED TO RE OPEN IT
I wish they could lock this guy up!
it is fun that these guys went to Mmembe instead of engaging ZRA to find out. They had a meeting where M’membe was present and not ZRA and concluded that ZRA was wrong because they made reference to the tribunal order and they ignored the supreme court ruling. At the end of the day they had a picture taken with M’membe. Is the POST going to open after their meeting? cant they see that their wasting their valuable time.
@28.1 Zenj, note that I used the word judge with small “j” and Capital “J” because it is general when you are not too sure what the presiding officer’s title is. Now does that make sense to you the IGNORANT FOOL?
And unfortunately there are many similar fools there in UPND who pretend to have knowledge and yet they are basically ignorant fools, including U5 himself. Just look at the ignoramus who were chasing empty trucks yesterday!
Any adjudicating person appointed by CONVICTED EMBEZZLER and his gang of CORRUPT PLUNDERERS does not merit capital “J” .
As to the rest of your ranting, I am not going to argue with genetically inbred imbec1le offspring of many fathers like you.
Meant to say “not Capital J”, but I guess even U5s can understand this?