Nakonde Border Shut, Agents Protest

SOME clearing agents in Nakonde yesterday protested against delays in processing their documents on the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) customs system known as ASYCUDA.

The protest resulted in an abrupt closure of the border.
Both Nakonde District Commissioner Charles Singoyi and ZRA corporate communications manager Mumbuna Kufekisa confirmed the incident yesterday.
Mr Singoyi said in an interview from Nakonde yesterday that the situation was volatile.
He said the protests were sparked by motor vehicle clearing agents who were angered by ZRA’s introduction of the new Asycuda entries.
Mr Singoyi said police in riot gear moved in to quash the protests as the angry rioters began destroying public property and motor vehicles.
“The situation here is bad. We cannot even address the rioters because they are so angry and they are destroying private and public property in the process,” he said.
“So I have alerted the Muchinga Province Minister Colonel Gerry Chanda and he is coming in the evening with the hope of addressing the agents tomorrow morning.”
Mr Kufekisa said in a statement that the delays were due to the perpetually unstable link with head office which resulted in making communication difficult.
“We are doing everything possible to address this challenge. Now the situation has returned to normal although the link is still not stable,” he said.
Mr Kufekisa said ZRA officers will work late to try and process the paperwork that has piled up.
Nakonde member of parliament Abel Sichula has appealed for calm, saying ZRA has no choice but to go ahead with the new system.
Mr Sichula told the Daily Mail that people were incensed by the delays caused by the problem in Lusaka.
Colonel Chanda said in an interview from Chinsali that he was on his way to Nakonde to address the situation.
“Let me call you this evening when I reach Nakonde and assess the situation,” he said.

Posted by Editor on May 20, 2014. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

6 Responses to Nakonde Border Shut, Agents Protest

kelwa

May 20, 2014 at 11:39 am

we cant go on wit the system which is not workin,govt wats goin on
Zondie Zacks

May 20, 2014 at 12:16 pm

Let ZRA improve on the new system, Agents can not be working after 21 hours when the system stabilizes.Govt should learn to implement things which they know that stalkhoiders involved will be able to understand, because even some ZRA officers are failing to operate the new system and its very slow hence the delay for the entries to be processed and assessed.Revenue has been lost since the new system was installed on the 3rd of may.Even the entries for fuel have been delayed.
PK

May 20, 2014 at 3:10 pm

I heard pipo saying we shall just bring back the MMD
Babalawo

May 21, 2014 at 9:18 am

@pk first u must go to TB Joshua for ritual consultation in order for mmd to bounce bck in power.
skugy

May 23, 2014 at 9:08 am

we are tired ne fyabupuba fi asycuda world…..officers are taking long to process the enteriers
who

May 23, 2014 at 9:41 am

Clearing Agents must understand that with the new system they have to work from their offices or homes and not go to the customs offices to process entries.

Agents its time to embrace the change