Islamic leader dared to name tax evaders

ISLAMIC Supreme Council of Zambia (ISCZ) president, Suzyo Zimba, must name the people he claims are involved in illegal businesses and are evading tax because he is putting the name of the Muslim community into disrepute, the Grand Mufti of Zambia, Assadullah Mwale, has demanded. Commenting on Mr. Zimba’s statement that he had information about the people involved in tax evasion, Mr. Mwale described the ISCZ leader’s statements as very general and lacking in evidence. Mr Mwale said the statement, if not substantiated, was capable of tarnishing the image of the Muslim community. “If Mr. Zimba is aware and knows of any person conducting illegal businesses, evading taxes or smuggling goods into this great nation, the honourable thing he should have done is to inform the law enforcement agencies so that appropriate action is taken unlike where he has continued issuing blanket statements portraying Muslims as bad people,” said the Grand Mufti. He said, “Let him be specific and indicate who is evading tax and smuggling goods into this country. I strongly urge the former him to stop tarnishing the image of Islam by associating the ISCZ with issues to do with ZRA but instead start using his company’s corporate identity.” He said Mr. Zimba’s continued issuance of baseless statements to the media was injurious to the good name of the Muslim community in Zambia. “I wish to share my personal sympathy, pain and agony the entire Muslim community is passing through. Nevertheless, as the sayings of the prophet goes “if one of you sees a wrong, you should try to change it with your hand, and if you can’t manage that use your tongue and if that fails, use the heart and that is of weakest faith,” he stated. “To that e ect, I wish to apologise to the Muslim community, and the nation at large, following my mistake to have accepted Mr. Zimba’s application to stand as Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia president in 2010,” said Mr Mwale. “I accepted his application and recommended his candidature and endorsed him thinking he was a person who would embrace all Muslims and help resolve all the challenges the Muslims are facing. Unfortunately, Mr. Zimba has just proved to the contrary. e conduct and behaviour of Mr. Zimba has no relevance what so ever to the present day realities,” he said.