United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ) president Charles Chanda says ZRA has failed to manage the taxation system and is Zambians suffer.

Speaking during Radio Phoenix’s Let the People Talk, Tuesday, Chanda said government had turned Zambians into its own International Monetary Fund.

“We need to be realistic. We are paying so much. Why are Zambians paying so much? It is because ZRA has failed to manage the issue of tax. We are concentrating on few people and leaving people that should be able to pay tax. For instance, our mines, those are the people making the most money but they are not paying the correct tax. They bring in a machine worth millions of dollars and it’s free. It passes through the boarder and yet the money they are making is being shipped out of the country. Government should not make its citizens IMF. That’s what they have done because, IMF can’t give them the money, and they have now converted us, citizens into IMF. It is too much, our money is being eaten by the government. We are actually working for the government we have become their slaves,” Chanda said.

“You are paying for toll gate as well as road tax? Can someone please educate me? Road tax, which road? Toll gate, which road? The roads with pot holes and we are still paying. You see the Kafue round about, maybe government is coming up with a new name for that lake that forms there. That is going to be our heritage site. They do not do anything, but they want to collect every piece of money. ZRA, you are offside. Government is using you and yet you are not working the way you are supposed to work.”

And Chanda he expected PF to present sensible bills in parliament instead of those which were inimical to citizen’s interests.

“The thing that I am worried with especially politics currently is where you don’t have the correct motives. We know exactly what we want and that is not healthy. We have a political party that is saying how do we get HH disqualified before he participates in the election? ‘Okay let us come up with a bill that we will brand and polish’ but, you know exactly what you want. It is not right. We need to look at progressive bills. We have left so many bills that affect citizens. And I can assure you if that gets to parliament, because of the numbers they will go ahead. You are forgetting that here is a party whose president is busy using a calculator. You are calculating and you still want to continue standing. There is a desire by your leaders to continue to hold on to the throne. But on the other hand you want others to be disqualified. That kind of thinking is worrying me as a Zambian citizen. Let us be progressive, let us look at issue based things. Our people are suffering. Let us stop these petty politics. Come up with issues that will help the people. So as far as I am concerned, I want serious business in parliament. That’s why in 2021 we want to get young people with fresh minds not people who are like finished tyres that need to be changed. So, there is need for us to b progressive and Zambia needs that,” said Chanda.