CHIPOKA CHALLENGES ZRA TO UPGRADE KASUMBALESA BORDER POST

COMMERCE, Trade and Industry Minister Chipoka Mulenga has challenged the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) to up-grade the Kasumbalesa Border Post and possibly develop it into a One-stop Border Post (OSBP) because it is a strategic border post which the country should use to maximise revenue collection.

And Mr Mulenga said the challenges of congestion at Kasumbalesa border Post was not being caused by the Zambian government, but was being caused across the border in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and that the authorities in the two countries were holding bilateral talks to resolve the challenges.

Mr Mulenga was speaking yesterday when the Zambia Intellectual Property Border Crossing Company (ZIPBCC) handed over the border facility to ZRA which it had been managing for 12 years under concession.

Mr Mulenga said, now that the ZRA has taken over the running of the border facility on behalf of the government, it should upgrade it and possibly develop it into a OSBP because it was a strategic facility.

He said the ZRA has a challenge to maintain the border facility and should ensure that it maintains the existing infrastructure while constructing new ones to cater for the increasing business between the two countries.

“As we thank the concessionaire for looking after this facility well and ensuring smooth business, I must challenge the ZRA that as you take over this facility, you must ensure that you upgrade it and possibly develop it into a OSBP. This is a strategic border post,” he said.