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Salangeta Urges Govt To Watch Chikwanda
A CATHOLIC priest has challenged finance minister Alexander Chikwanda to resign so that he can pursue his personal interests in the mines outside government.
Commenting on revelations that Chikwanda wanted the government to pay mining companies a disputed US$600 million (K3.6 billion) in value added tax repayments over a staggered period, Fr Anthony Salangeta, editor of Icengelo and Challenge magazines at Mission Press in Ndola, said there was “something fishy” in Chikwanda’s conduct regarding mining houses which needed to be stopped.
The Zambia Revenue Authority has withheld over $600 million in value added tax repayments from mining companies that have failed to provide importer documentation that qualified them to reclaim VAT on zero-rated copper exports.
Fr Salangeta, who is also Chibufu Catholic Parish priest, said poor Zambians were waiting for the government to collect even more taxes from the mines.
He said there was need for the PF leadership and the government to watch Chikwanda closely in his dealings with mining firms.
“First of all, it was President Michael Sata who reversed Statutory Instrument 89 which was not in the interest of majority Zambians which was drawn by the same minister. Zambians have been crying. In fact, the PF promised to tax mines even more, but instead he wants to give them even more money,” Fr Salangeta said.
“There is something fishy going on here. Let government come out and explain. Let the government spokesperson tell the nation what government position is on this matter, failure to which we will take it as government policy. We cannot refund what we don’t owe. The minister needs to be closely watched because it is his behaviour that is making people say he has interests in mining houses.”
He said the nation was concerned about Chikwanda’s conduct because he was not running a personal business but government business on behalf of the people.
“Let him resign, let him step down and pursue his personal interests. If he does that, no one will touch him because he will be doing personal business with the mines, but not when he represents the people,” Fr Salangeta said.
He also charged that Chikwanda’s threats to sue mineral economist and University of Zambia lecturer, Dr Mathias Mpande did not carry weight as he had failed to categorically respond to ‘objective’ and pertinent issues which the latter was raising.
Fr Salangeta said failure to act on Chikwanda’s conduct could mean that there was lack of leadership on the part of government.
Posted by Editor
on August 20, 2014. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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B2
August 20, 2014 at 9:27 pm
Indeed!
Fr. William Mulenga
August 20, 2014 at 10:33 pm
Fr. you are right. Zambians would, first of all, like to know what is going between the Govt and the mining companies. Is like there is a hidden agenda surrounding this issue. How can we pay back something which belongs to us. We can only pay back “inkongole”.
kakolwe
August 21, 2014 at 3:26 am
So much has been said & still is, about Alexander’s erratic & chipantepante type of theories, can’t we have him replaced with someone with a better outlook on the Zambian economy?
Air Mukwai_
August 21, 2014 at 4:40 am
Exceptional is better than refund since these so called mining investors are still operating in Zambia.
observer
August 21, 2014 at 11:36 am
Chikwanda!!!!”
Mukombe Wamano
August 21, 2014 at 11:39 am
By the way where is Chibufu Parish in Zambia. Is it not true that vat has to be paid to all importers or i am i missing something here.
Humphy
August 21, 2014 at 2:44 pm
Input VAT is refunded to all exporters in Zambia. Its not only the mining Companies and we must respect the laws.
This is not political and has been going on for a long time. Only in this case the PF government delayed o put pressure on the Companies to be more transparent on there sales/exports
OPeness
August 21, 2014 at 4:29 pm
chibufu parish is found in Ndola in chibufu compound the home compound of vera chiluba, infact is called saint Joseph Cupertino parish.
chipampa
August 22, 2014 at 12:55 pm
who is the spokesperson for the mines? copper ore in Zambian mines is only .6%. and yet new mining projects are springing up? mines are making losses ask CEO of KCM ….how much he is minting from “losses”
The truth is some mining firms are cheating on taxes, Zambia sugar was also named…
why is Ministry of finance toothless?
we are all shocked
sonyane
August 22, 2014 at 3:17 pm
He was given that position so that they can steal big time! he is not in this alone.How can a normal person appoint the same man who brought Zambias economy on its knees? we suffered during the eighties and we have drifted back to the 80s within a space of less than 3 years. kindly step down or the whole rot shud go. it is too much mwee.