Borrow for projects, not overtaxing citizens, government urged
GOVERNMENT should borrow more money, for developmental projects rather than overtaxing citizens as it risks killing the same people it is charged to keep alive, says former UPND vice president for politics Canisius Banda. Dr Banda observed that Government was now overfishing from citizens in an effort to raise the much needed revenue in the midst of the many demands the country was faced with.
Dr Banda said that Government should borrow money as Zambia currently could not survive without getting resources from other well to do countries.
He said in an interview with the Daily Nation that in as much as Finance Minister Felix Mutati could not spend without money, overtaxing citizens would affect the poor Zambians badly.
Dr Banda reiterated that the cost of fuel was also likely to rise following the removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds and increase the cost of production, which was already high compared to other SADC countries.
He pointed out that increasing PAYE reduced the purchasing power of the affected citizens in the midst of a fluctuating inflation.
Dr Banda said that when citizens were taxed beyond a certain limit, beyond their carrying capacity, the burden placed on them would break their backs.
He warned that Government would hurt the same people it was supposed to protect by overfishing beyond their capacity.
Dr Banda said that even the Head of State had indicated that during his recent state of the nation address in Parliament that 60 percent of Zambians were still living in poverty, hence it was not wise to overburden them.
Meanwhile, Dr Banda also noted that Mr Mutati could not spend on relevant developmental projects without money regardless of how much pressure was exerted on him.