via Bulawayo24 NEWS | Govt won’t tax churches 02 July 2015
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday said government has no plans to tax churches except for the business ventures they run on commercial basis.
He said they cannot tax tithes and they assured churches to keep operating and converting people.
There have been reports that the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) will soon tax churches and is working on a legislative framework that should be ready by November for the purpose.
This was said by Zimra Commissioner-General Gershem Pasi when he appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperatives Development.
Pasi’s comments follow the mushrooming of churches that promote wealth accumulation with some of the leaders publicly flaunting their riches.
Some have also been accused of abusing their privileges as churches to avoid paying taxes.
Pasi also said Zimra was working on a new electronic system that will be launched on a trial basis in the coming few weeks and is expected to enhance revenue collection and target some sectors that are currently not contributing to the fiscus.
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