UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has commended UPND members of parliament and other MPs that voted against the bill by government to increase various taxes on fuel,motor vehicles among others.
The bill went through in parliament with the backing of Patriotic Front Members of Parliament who are in the majority in the house.
Mr Hichilema says the UPND and other progressive members of parliament and citizens at large, opposed these taxes because Zambians are already overtaxed.
He says from an economic point of view, tax increments such as that on fuel will increase the cost of transport for passengers, merchandise and services leading to a continued rise in the cost of living.
Mr Hichilema adds that these taxes do not stimulate economic growth and job creation as the cost of doing business for many citizens and businesses is stifled.
He notes that already, mining companies and other industries are reducing their workforce due to the high cost of doing business.
The UPND leader says this means there will be increases in lots of taxes in the 2019 budget because of the PF that voted in support of these taxes.
Mr Hichilema states that it now remains to the rest of the wider population who are the real masters to use the people power and prevail.
Kaponya we retired you in 2016. There will be no Armageddon in Zambia. No yellow vest protests.
Your MPs tried their best. You should have tried being a councillor or MP in your career instead of selling Zambian mines corruptly.
This guy lishilu. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that your MP’s can vote all they want but your party has no numbers. This is a chainama case. How do you congratulate failure? This explains why this lunatic has been contesting the presidential elections over and over despite losing over and over. Kanshi he sees it as a success. Poor UPND sheeples!
“Mr Hichilema states that it now remains to the rest of the wider population who are the real masters to use the people power and prevail.”
This Kaponya is using “people power” everyday in his speeches. He’s trying to incite the masses.
(HH) when Zambians have had enough they rise on their own. They don’t need incitement from you, an Anglo American agent who sold mines cheaply in the 1990s. You pocketed $7 million and instead of circulating it in your own economy you took it to Panama.
As of 2016 we have retired you in national interest from the ballot.
Some of these iiddiioottss who favor decisions of the mad dogs are impotent and barren dogs who have no children and the future to look forward to. How can a sane person support the strangulation of the country’s citizens just because of jealous and envy of the one who has spoken? That is why forgiving these murderers should never be tolerated after 2021. This country shall become so small to contain us and you iiddiioottss.
Guys, it takes ethics and standing for what is right than just voting. As Much as I do not Like HH, he is 100% right on this matter. Taxes kill economic growth and the poor will suffer. As Zambians let’s look at what is affecting us and you know that an increase in fuel and other goods has a direct impact on our people. Its Madness and Stupidity that PF thinks taxation is the only way to Raise Revenue. MWANYA YOU WILL START EATING EACH OTHER WITH YOUR FOOLISHNESS.
No wonder your profile picture says it all…a skeleton when are already dead please leave humans to comment.
The tax evader and thief itself.
PEOPLE THEMSELVES WILL FEEL THE PINCH AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE WITHOUT BEING FORCED SINCE THEY HAVE FELT THE PINCH ALREADY AND WE SAY YES LET PF GOVERNMENT INCREASE FUEL OR DO THE TAXATIONS NOW AND THEY WILL BLIND FORD THE BLIND TO HEAR THEM. TIME WILL COME TO PLEAD TO US CITIZENS AND WE SHALL CHASE THEM WITH STONES AS THEY DID IT DURING COLONIAL RULE. TIME WILL TELL. SOON THEY WILL MEET THE WATERLOO.
What % of the 17 Million Zambians are in formal employment that you can put them through so much taxes?
What % of the 17 million Zambians are tribalists and racists?
Tell your MPs to reject the salary increament also which they received with both hands.Moreover,good to hear you know pretty well that PF MPs are the majority in parliament confirming that you 100% lost 2016 elections because Presisent Edgar Lungu came out number one in all those constituencies where PF MPs won!!!HH came out second to ECL in 2016 due to “cuundu chaitwa” way of voting in Dundumwezi where his UPND recorded more 80% voter turnout while in PF strongholds recorded less than 45% voter turnout!!!Without tribal votes,HH would have lost to ECL terribly in 2016 and we can only predict a huge loss for him in 2021 should Zambians continue voting on tribal lines as by election results have been showing and voter turnout increase above 70% in 6.5 provinces!!!
THE BIGGEST JOB FOR PF…
Zambia and Africa.. yaba.. it’s like one almost become a millionaire or almost became a somebody.. and we are ok with that.. How do we do business in a stifled economy?? Do some of these Mps understand what is at stake or is it because they are subsidised?
The country needs small businesses to mushroom and pour into the taxation system in order for govt to raise revenue!
Honorable Finance Minister Mrs Mwanakatwe, please also revoke subsidies on electricity and fuel to the Mines, in addition to sticking to your proposed Taxes on them. They are huge profit making entities, why on earth should a poor nation still subsidize a mega profit making multinational firm? There are enough people lining up to take over the mines if they want to leave, Copper is a depreciating resource, let’s maximize income from it while we can like Tanzania has done. let’s not be held to ransom by their threats of worker retrenchment. We need the money to pay down debts and repair our international reputation financially. We can also use this inflow to justify a cut in PAYE to 30% as relief to burdened workers.
HH even here in the western world the government raises money to provide services through taxes.you took your money to Panama island to avoid being taxed and now you want to fool the same people you want rule that government is wrong.Badala you claim to be an economist.
Panama island? Well, I pity you for the lack of basic knowledge, never mind about tax knowledge.
Have you ever heard of Panama Canal? Your comment is true reflection of your support for the party of !mbeciles, by the !mbeciles, for the !mbeciles!!!
HH even here in the western world the government raises money to provide services through taxes.
Not as high as your taxes in Zambian, look into the percentages before you comment, it does help to read you know, not just comment blindly…..dander head
Foolish, Shut-up if you don’t know what you are talking about. YOU JUST AS DULL as Lungu and his MPs. I am sure you have never been to Zambia for Years??? Since you are so busy CLEANING those OLD PEOPLE”S ASSES.
@ Agnoni
In the “western world” governments do PROVIDE SERVICES. That is the huge difference.
Which services we get? Not even clean drinking water!!! To add insult to injury, PF government has now impose excise duty on opaque beer of K. 0.15 per litre and K. 0.30 per litre of bottled water?!? Promoting drunkenness or expecting that population will follow the lead of the Hon. Minister and her Boss?
Hichilema is a big f000l….for many years his tribal party has failed to produce alternative budgets….
What’s your ranting got to do with what he has said?
So what was the outcome?
Going by some comments above Zambians are happy with the tax increase. Perhaps because HH has spoken about it ????
These PF cadres don’t care because they are all involved in corruption and they don’t have formal jobs because who can give a job to dander heads, have you ever seen an intelligent PF cadre who works? Therefore the taxes don’t impact them with their dullness how do you get angry about people arguing that taxes are high, Dandre’s heads…. Just go steal and share social cash with your thieving debarred lawyer who stole from a widow and now duping very poor people…. Social cash
Tribalism queens.
The shallowness in some of the comments is baffling, hate for HH for the sake of it,the taxes affect all of us like it or not
The shallowness in some of the comments is baffling, hate for President Lungu” for the sake of it,the taxes affect all of us like it or not
PF cadres blindly and dangerously support stupidity yet complain of poor economy on the sidelines. Becoz of blind support they feel offended at voice of reason while all our children are getting malnouri shed. They accuse hh of being tribal yet they equally utter wako ni wako and claim strongholds. RUBBISH. Of course I dont support ALL mps when it comes to greediness in terms of their salaries where they all agree.
Yes taxes especially their increments are not good atall. But whether good or bad have yet to see your MPs vote with government. It would be very interesting to see the Upnd MPs forego their allowances and salaries and gratuity and donate to our less fortunate people. Sorry that would deny Mwiimbu his regular visit to his favorite Mall.
“Mr Hichilema states that it now remains to the rest of the wider population who are the real masters to use the people power and prevail.”
Trib.al Hacks, people power? No one will rise for you trib.al! Zambians don’t trust you iwe, how come this fact has failed to penetrate your head?
And your MPs and trib.al upnd contradict themseves, when salaries, gratuities and allowances of MPs were increased 50%-100% your MPs gleefully voted together with PF. Where did you and your trib.als think the money will come from? Now the taxes have to be increased to fund the triba.ls salaries, you suddenly “represent” the interests of Zambians? What kind of economist are you? A trib.al kind? Yaba ati opposition!! Brain trib.al, akanwa trib.al, umona trib.al, reasoning trib.al, voting trib.al,…
This is an excellent move by the parliamentarians. Why should the government continue to trample upon the already overburdened citizens? I believe now government should start working in the reverse direction to alleviate the pain and suffering being endured by Zambians due to the high cost of living.
#16 The great one, read my comment above. Triba.l has damaged your trib.al brains so much that you can’t understand simple things?
See the contradictions in Trib.al Hacks and his party, and you will see that he does not represent you or any other person except himself and a little bit for his trib.al. Upnd directionless trib.als with heads buried in the sand. Trib.al is simply not a leader of Zambians, he is a leader of trib.als that don’t and cannot think for themselves.
Stupid, i will never vote for you.
What ever has been said on this subject matter for and not for the Born of the matter ordinary Zambian will suffer more and failing taking children to high education