via Government to introduce new taxes July 28, 2014 by Nqobani Ndlovu
THE government is planning to introduce a raft of new taxes targeting every Zimbabwean whether formally employed, self-employed or not employed in a bid to fund the proposed compulsory health insurance scheme.
Under the proposals, every Zimbabwean, regardless of age, would be taxed even for mobile phone use.
For example, the more one tops up airtime, the more you contribute to the proposed National Health Insurance (NHI).
Health and Child Care deputy minister Paul Chimedza said the tax proposals, if adopted, would “revolutionalise the way we finance our health care in the country for the betterment of all Zimbabweans”.
NHI will result in the scrapping of the compulsory Aids levy introduced in 1999 to fund Aids mitigation programmes.
NHI is also envisaged to cushion Zimbabweans who cannot afford high medical aid fees charged by medical aid societies.
“Regarding this health insurance fund, everybody will be included regardless of where they are or who they are. The ways we are talking about it will include everybody in the country and what we know is that whenever somebody juices their phone, we will deduct that money,” Chimedza said.
“When they buy from supermarkets, money collected from the VAT [value added tax] will be taken to the health fund.
“So we are saying every individual will be given a chance to make their contribution according to their abilities so that everyone in the country is covered by this health fund.
“We have looked at different taxing models, for example, people who smoke and drink will definitely end up in a health care institution.
“We are going to propose that we tax that. They can enjoy themselves and we wait for them. We tax a bit from the alcohol and tobacco and put in a kit.
“We are also going to propose that we tax a levy from the tollgates because a lot of resources are going into looking after accident victims on the roads.
“Therefore, the people who use the roads, we can tax a bit. We also looked at different ways.”
Chimedza was responding to a question in Senate on Thursday by Mashonaland West Senator Prisca Mupfumira (Zanu PF) on when the scheme that has been on the pipeline would be launched, according to the Hansard.
“We know that at the moment not everyone is employed, but everyone will go into a supermarket to buy sugar and bread. So their point of payment will be VAT,” Chimedza said.
“If we want everyone to contribute to a NHI Fund, we can probably propose that from the 15%, we increase to 16% and that 1% goes into the kit for the NHI so that it is a sustainable fund where everyone can contribute.
“We have a penetration right now of 109% in the country — everyone has a cellphone.
“If we want to tax money to go into the health insurance fund, when someone tops up their airtime in their cellphone, we consider whether we should take one cent so that those who make more calls contribute more than those who make fewer calls, but it is according to ability.”
He, however, said the proposed taxes were still at “very elementary discussion stages”.
COMMENTS
Managing an economy has allways been “rocket science” and above any african government especially mugabe and his goons.
This had to come, this useless Government has run out of ideas on how to run a Country, they are now truly trying to get blood from a stone, my parents like most Zimbabweans had their pension wiped out, a lifetime of working towards retirement all gone! Now they pretend to be developing a health fund, my arse, this money will be used to fund Zanupf. Did they use the money from carbon tax towards green energy etc? no it was looted like every other fund.
Aloota continua….they ask “what is left still working? Ahhhha! Cell phones! OK let’s get in on that one….aHHHHA toll gates….let’s get in on that.
Hopeless thieves the lot of them. No problems…reduce the number of calls….the cell phone was fun while we could afford it. We will live with a couple of calls a day instead of a dozen…no problem. Go away you thieving useless squamanity. Health Care system….that sounds like the World Cup bid by a bunch who cannot even supply a football to their schools! No medicines in the clinics, no bandages RIGHT NOW, right now…..stop talking and get something DONE about the wreck you have created.
“We tax a bit from the alcohol and tobacco and put in a kit.”….in a kit? Kikikikikik We wait.
change the “K” to a “T” and thats what he is called everone who pays into this scheme.
This dude is high. ZANU could never institute a workable national health scheme. The task is way beyond their ability.
What a stupid idea. There are no factories people are unemployed and the little they get you went to steal from them. Pathetic bloody pathetic
zve hu benzi izvo anhuwe musabvuma hukoronyera
What does it take for a nation to rise up in anger?
Similar to NSSA, only those lucky to be employed by this new monster NHI Fund will benefit
They should just term it The looters’ Fund.
Remember Ngugi Wathiongo’s Petals of blood, they will be taxing the oxygen you breath and every one will say ,good idea comrade.
109% great maths, definitely a candidate for finance ministry. How about spending less on trinkets and trips ?
Very foolish. But tell me. Whats wrong with the african race, my race? Is it a genetic problem or its a curse direct from SATAN ? Some of the things we do are so embarrassing. You feel ashamed to be black.
This is a bogus government where did this dude attent school?
Stop crying Zimbabwean, you voted Zanu into power now live it. You put them in and only you can take them out. Muchamama
Nzira iya yonanga kumakuva
This dude is providing Chinamasa and Pasi with some ammunition. From august civil cervants salaries and brand new mercs for ministers cld be coming from airtime
This dude is providing Chinamasa and Pasi with some ammunition. From august civil servants salaries and brand new mercs for ministers cld be coming from airtime
the old saying “death by taxes”
Good idea, because most people in Zimbabwe who were not paying any tax have been watching Zanu Pf squandering national funds and not caring as it was not their money. Now they will start to feel it when they see people like Charamba earning $100 000 for just sitting once in a year on a ZBC board or see these ministers each getting 2 or 3 vehicles to use. People have been watching Mugabe appointing a minister for pyscho……. what ever and not questioning because it was not their money, I am sure now they demand to know what this guys does as work on a daily basis.
More money to defraud and steal!