State owned telecommunications company Zamtel in partnership with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has announced the launch of a mobile tax payment system using Zamtel Kwacha.
The move will see Zamtel customers remit all their domestic taxes such as Turnover Tax, Base Tax, Income Tax, VAT, Withholding Tax and Pay As You Earn via the Zamtel Kwacha platform.
Other tax types covered under this innovation include Property Transfer Tax, Mineral Royalty, medical Levy Tax, Presumptive Tax and Insurance Premium Levy.
All taxpayers will be required to use the Zamtel Kwacha short code *344# and insert their TPIN.For each successful transaction, customers will receive a notification.
The mobile tax payment platform will also be used to capture millions of informal sector players such as Marketeers and Small Scale Traders by the Zambia National Marketeers Credit Association (ZANAMACA) who have been engaged by the ZRA to act as a tax agent in the collection of base tax.
The appointment of ZANAMACA as a sole tax agent is in line with a Statutory Instrument issued on 15th June 2018 by the Ministry of Finance on the collection of base tax in the informal sector.
Announcing the partnership, Zamtel Chief Executive Officer Sydney Mupeta stated that the new tax electronic payment system which will go live in the next few days will enhance customer convenience and promote tax compliance by a vast majority of taxpayers.
“We are excited about this partnership with ZRA as it again demonstrates that Zamtel has the capacity and necessary platforms that can drive economic transformation. We are confident that our customers will enjoy paying their taxes as this will now be done conveniently from their devices using Zamtel Kwacha,” Mr. Mupeta stressed.
“Our Zamtel Kwacha platform is a rapidly growing channel which many of our customers are now using to make payments for services and utilities and being able to remit base tax through this unique platform will surely be a game changer,” he added.
And ZRA Commissioner General Kingsley Chanda revealed that the partnership is expected to capture millions of taxpayers.
Mr. Chanda said the move further demonstrates ZRA’s resolve to fully adopt the use of latest technology in tax administration.
“We are happy to partner with Zamtel on this initiative which will go a long way in boosting revenue collection. We are in the process of announcing similar initiatives with other market players in order to strengthen efforts to improve tax compliance and collection,” Mr. Chanda said.
This is according to a joint statement issued by Zamtel and ZRA.
Audit the ZRA people. They are the biggest thieves in Zambia. Just sneak a camera at any border and you will see….
Just look at how Kingsley is Laughing all the way to the bank!
Zamtel CEO Mr Sydney Mupeta shakes hands with ZRA Commissioner General Mr Kingsley Chanda during a joint news briefing where they agreed to share the proceeds of excess tax equally.
Why restrict the agency agreement to Zamtel only when Airtel and MTN have more subscribers as well.This should have been a joint agreement by ZRA to all Mobile telecommunications company.
Zamtel needs to be privatise.It is just a drain in tax payers money.This applies to NatSave.These are dead institutions which are not adding any value in the current economic landscape.I have never heard these institutions declaring dividends to the government.Why should government continue subsidizing inefficiencies in these institutions?Directors in these institutions are not innovative and luck technical-know how on how to run these institutions.Education that we get do not align us to run strategic industries.There are a lot of products which Zamtel and Natsave can introduce so that they bring relevance to these institutions. If Zambia Railways,in its current state, can declare dividends,why not Zamtel and Natsave.They are being treated with kids’ groves.
When i tell people that Sydney is better utilised in the cool temp of the server room of Zamtel they think its a joke…
Imwe ba Mbaluso sure you can talk about ZR declaring K100,000 as a big issue here. What is K100, 000? And do you think declaring the same amount makes ZR viable? ZR is under ICU if you don’t know and all things equal ZR in not in any situation that can talk about profit.
I have been paying my Turnover tax via Airtel Money since time immemorial.
These fooools want show people they are working..
Nothing new here…why should a taxpayer not have the option to pay on any platform…
You ‘ve other options of queuing at zra offices or better still use agents. This move is meant to decongest offices eradicate corruption and save time of doing business. Because you’re an under5 you cant see any benefits.
Zamtel will soon declare dividends with the new internet call surcharge, so will ZRA with the fuel they are confiscating at the boarders, but the dividends will all be looted in no time, unless u say there wont be a UN general assembly next we might save a couple of bucks.
The late Zamtel trying by all means to resurrect, it never works that way. It requires proper strategies and execution on the ground. well packaged services relevant to the Zambian customer , not the easy way out we see daily by Zamtel. no strategy just destroying value in the telecoms sector.
All I hear is tax tax tax tax tax tax tax tax tax tax….