Tanzania: Mwanza traders condemn TRA

 

2 January 2014

Shops and other businesses in the city of Mwanza have reopened after three days of strike in a protest over what traders described as government institutions’ discrimination and ill-treatment of business people generally. The Mwanza Regional Administrative Secretary (RAS), Mr Ndallo Kulijila, told the ‘Daily News’ that the unrest came to an end after the Mwanza Regional Commissioner (RC) Eng. Evarist Ndikilo, met the businessmen and discussed their grievances.

“The RC and businessmen’s representatives sat in a meeting from 2:00 pm and concluded it at 20:00 pm. They discussed various factors that the business people viewed as impediments to their businesses and found a lasting solution,” said Kulijila.

 

He said that the major concern of the businessmen was the way TRA handles issue of the electronic Fiscal Device (EFDs). Most of the business people complained bitterly saying that they did not know for what use the gadgets were. Some said they did not know how to use them.
 
They asked the Regional Commissioner to instruct the TRA and its agencies to enlighten the business people on how to use the machines. According to the RAS, the business people also complained that some TRA officers often threatened them instead of using a friendly approach when discussing taxation matters. The other complaint from the business people was that when a trader pays import duty at Sirari on the Kenyan border, the same trader pays the same duty at Musoma and Mwanza.
 
This means some traders paid import duty for the same goods three times. Responding to the business people’s grievances, the Regional Commissioner ordered the TRA in Mwanza to provide education on the use of EFDs and instruct its members of staff not to threaten traders use a gentle public relations approach when dealing with them.
 
 
Source: Tanzania Daily News