Zimra steps up efforts to fight corruption

26 Apr, 2022 - 15:04 0 Views
Zimra steps up efforts to fight corruption Ms Regina Chinamasa

The Sunday News

Judith Phiri and Rutendo Nyeve, Business Reporters

THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) has put in place several strategies in a bid to curb corruption which has hindered economic activities in the country.

Speaking during the #I’mForZero Breakfast meeting that coincided with the kick off of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo on Tuesday, Zimra acting commissioner-general Ms Regina Chinamasa said there was a need for people to work together in curbing corruption in the country.

“This breakfast meeting presents an opportunity to introspect and explore effective responses to the scourge. Our economy is heavily dependent on domestic revenue mobilisation for social and infrastructural development and Zimra collects close to 90 percent of the national budgetary revenue requirements.

“Corruption and tax evasion threaten our economy and the quality of our lives. Put bluntly, corruption is stealing from the poor for they bear the impact of the scourge through under-development,” said Ms Chinamasa.

She said the engagement comes at a time when Zimra has intensified strategies to fight corruption head-on.

Ms Chinamasa said Zimra remains committed to the fight against corruption through implementation of life style audits, Corruption Risk Assessment Tool, investigations and audit of tax evasion, illicit trade practices, smuggling and sanctioning of proceeds of crimes.

“We are convinced that what we have started is a vital step in the attainment of the President’s vision of achieving an Upper Middle-Income Economy by 2030, considering that sharing of information and acting on it is the lifeblood of a functioning economic system.”

Bulawayo’s Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube said corruption was a very crucial matter that could destroy all the current efforts in mobilising resources for the economic development of Zimbabwe.

She said corruption was a cancer that erodes the social, economic, political and development fabric of the nation.

“This topic’s importance cannot be downplayed as it threatens our quality of life, our economy and the future of generations to come. Our government, under the leadership of President Mnangagwa is employing a number of strategies to fight the corruption scourge,” said Minister Ncube.

She said the idea that corruption was something that exists only in Government institutions was a flawed idea that limits a more robust and holistic confrontation of the challenges that corruption besets on the economy and shared quality of life.

The Minister said corruption was everywhere and it had to be fought not only from the corridors of power in Government but from the private sector.

“I am pleased that Zimra has decided to lead the fight against corruption by creating these important multi-sectorial platforms that allow for Powerful, Painful Conversations (PPC) around a difficult subject matter.”

The meeting ran under the theme: “#I’mForZero: Say NO to Corruption: Say YES to integrity.”

Zimra as a tax collector is mandated to collect revenue, facilitate trade and travel, protect civil society and to advise Government on fiscal and economic matters among other roles.

 

 

Share This:

Survey


We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey

This will close in 20 seconds