ZRA issues amnesty guide

A GUIDE and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the on-going tax amnesty programme has been produced by the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) to help taxpayers on how to go about the initiative whose application has been automated.

The amnesty, will run up to March 31, 2023, and will provide relief to taxpayers through the waiving of penalties and interest on tax declarations and liabilities.

ZRA acting Corporate Communications Manager Oliver Nzala has urged taxpayers to familiarise themselves with the guide available on their website.

“An Amnesty Guide and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) has been produced and is available on the ZRA website. We are urging taxpayers to familiarise themselves with the guide,” Mr Nzala said in a statement in Lusaka.

He said the amnesty process had been automated and all applications were done online.

Taxpayers, according to Mr Nzala, were able to access account statements and file returns including transactions for the legacy period.

He stressed that ZRA expected that the automated process would make it easier for the taxpayers to access and benefit from the amnesty easily and timely.

Mr Nzala explained that the tax amnesty was a measure aimed at mitigating the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, which presented a health and economic burden across the globe.

The resulting disruption in cash flow for businesses has impacted their ability to meet tax obligations.

“All affected persons and businesses need to ensure that their principal obligations are settled by March 31, 2023.

“The requirement is that any taxpayer who currently has outstanding taxes and penalties and interest computed up to September 30, 2022, can apply and arrange to pay before March 31, 2023,” he said.

On Friday, September 30, 2022 Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane, announced in his 2023 budget speech that there will be a tax amnesty starting October 1, 2023 up to March 31, 2023.