AfricaPress-Tanzania: PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday ordered tax authorities to stop frustrating businesses and harassing taxpayers, but devise strategies to expand the tax base to meet collection targets.
After swearing in newly-appointed ministers and those who changed portfolios at State House Chamwino, the president said tax collectors have been employing enforcement tactics that pushed traders to close shop.
In brief but pointed remarks, she said that vicious tax collectors take away tools of work from business people. They close bank accounts and forcefully take money from accounts as the law allows them to do so.
“Once this happens most business people opt to close shop and go to other countries to invest. Use professionalism rather than using force to collect taxes,” she declared.
Insisting that accessing traders’ accounts and taking their money was unacceptable, the president noted that these business people close shop and go to other countries to invest, in which case the habit must be stopped.
She directed newly appointed minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba to devise new strategies of tax collection to reach the two trillion/- monthly target, ditching current methods of tax collection where taxpayers are being harassed.
The prevailing methods undermine taxpayers instead of making the environment conducive for doing business, she further asserted, urging the ministry’s agencies to go out and find ways of expanding the tax base as well as addressing complaints relating to vicious tax collection all over the country.
Commenting on the appointments, the president said she had decided to appoint ministers in relation to their profession, on the basis of expectations that this would increase efficiency.
“I have decided to appoint Ambassador Mulamula because she has matured in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and together with her deputy they will strengthen our relations with other countries,” she said.
President Samia tasked Chief Secretary Ambassador Hussein Katanga to work on coordinating government activities because this was an area that was posing problems, warning against presidential ambitions ahead of the 2025 polls, saying she will be keen in monitoring such expressions.
“My eyes are wide despite that they are weak. I will be monitoring everyone because what I want is work and nothing else. On the same let me tell you that your record will follow you wherever you go because there are people who have missed these opportunities because of their records,” she said.
The president affirmed that she was given various names for appointment on the CS position but Katanga’s record impressed her, noting that the former envoy has done a great job in all areas he was tasked with high level government office.
In his remarks, the new CS said he will work on improving coordination in the government to achieve intended goals.
He said he was caught by surprise on his return from Japan as he was told at the airport that he was to go to Dodoma “where everything will be explained on arrival.”
On Wednesday, the president made a major shake-up of the cabinet by appointing kthe Chief Secretary, as well as carting in new people in key ministries like finance, foreign affairs and regional administration.
