Import taxes via WhatsApp payment coming

BUUMBA CHIMBULU writes THE Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) will soon include import taxes on the recently launched Tax on WhatsApp Payments innovation to further enhance the ease of making payments. ZRA this week launched the Tax on WhatsApp Payments innovation to ease methods of tax payments. Import taxes will also be included on this platform, meaning that taxpayers will be able to pay for importation of goods such as motor vehicles using the WhatsApp platform, says organisation Corporate Communications Manager, Topsy Sikalinda. Mr Sikalinda said ZRA was keen to make tax payment in the country as comfortable, convenient and simple as possible by adopting all possible payment options available, “Currently, taxpayers are using Airtel money, MTN Mobile, Zamtel Kwacha and other bank platforms to pay for taxes,” Mr Sikalinda said in a statement. Mr Sikalinda said ZRA would continue to simplify the methods and processes of paying taxes for the benefit of taxpayers and to promote tax compliance. He however noted with regret that some people on social media were misleading innocent citizens that ZRA had launched a tax for using WhatsApp. “What ZRA has launched is an innovative method of paying for all domestic taxes through a social media platform called WhatsApp. “Therefore, WhatsApp is a latest online method of paying for domestic taxes in the country,” Mr Sikalinda explained. He said ZRA wantedto ensure that taxpayers did not leave the comfort of their social media platform to go to another platform to make a tax payment. “We want to make tax payment in the country as comfortable, convenient and simple as possible by adopting all possible payment options available. There will now be no need for taxpayers to leave their comfort of WhatsApp to pay taxes,” he said.  Meanwhile, ZRA this week donated 1, 250 by 25kgs bags of mealie to the University Teaching Hospital, Levy Mwanawasa  and Chainama Hospitals in an effort to ease the challenges faced by major hospitals in the country. Mr Sikalinda said: “the donation is as a result of the enhanced anti-smuggling activities by the Authority in collaboration with other government security wings. “The efforts resulted into the seizure of the mealie meal we are donating from various smugglers around the country,” The Sun