via ZACC sees red over unpaid taxes | The Herald 12 December 2014
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority has garnished the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission’s bank account for unpaid taxes on allowances for officers, legislators heard yesterday.
The decision to garnish ZACC whose non-remittances dated back to 2009, left the constitutional body in the red.
ZACC general manager responsible for finance Mr Christopher Chisango said the decision by Zimra to garnish them was misguided since employees were being paid by the Government, hence they were entitled to non-taxable allowances just like their counterparts in Government.
Mr Chisango said this while giving oral evidence before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs that had invited the parent ministry and its departments to hear their views on their 2015 national budget votes.
“Employees of ZACC are being paid by the Government. But Zimra said we are a statutory body, hence allowances should be taxed so they garnished us$5 million and left us with nothing,” said Mr Chisango.
He said they have approached relevant authorities to have the issue addressed.
Appearing before the same committee, Zimbabwe Republic Police director for finance Senior Assistant Commissioner James Nyakotyo said the force would keep imposing spot fines as part of desperate measures to raise funds that would enable them to provide service to the people.
He said some companies contracted by the force to make police uniforms were collapsing after their properties were attached because ZRP was failing to pay them.
He said the force was preparing to make their own police uniform, something that would cost them less.
Snr Asst Comm Nyakotyo said at the advent of the economic meltdown, the police officers had no stationery so much that they would use anything including posters of musicians to record statements.
“We would use posters from musicians like Alick Macheso to record statements of witnesses and complaints.
“But because of some innovations, the situation has improved. It is not that we want to remain on the road mounting roadblocks, but there is nothing we can do because we have to provide a service to the people,” said Snr Asst Comm Nyakotyo.
Director in the Immigration Department Mr Steven Museki said they were struggling to raise money for deportations, thereby straining the prison population.
He said prison authorities have on several occasions raised concern on the department’s failure to deport illegal immigrants on time.
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