MISA Zambia chairperson Fr Barnabas Simatende says the reintroduction of the 16 percent VAT on Newspaper sales will have a negative effect on freedom of expression and access to information by the public.

And ZRA corporate communications manager Topsy Sikalinda says the authority’s duty is just to implement policies that are set by the government and Parliament.

In an interview, Thursday, Fr Simatende called on the government to immediately reverse the decision, saying it would further reduce the already low levels of readership in Zambia.

“MISA Zambia is concerned with the reintroduction of the 16% Value Added Tax (VAT) by the government on e-newspapers and newspaper sales because this will further reduce the already low levels of readership in Zambia. The Government of Zambia through the 2022 budget that was released last year in October passed an amendment to the VAT Act, adjusting the standard rate applicable to the supply of e-newspaper and newspapers,” he said.

“MISA Zambia is of the view that the VAT measures should be immediately withdrawn in the interest of the public. MISA Zambia contends that the proposed VAT on both the e-newspapers and newspapers will have a negative effect on freedom of expression and access to information by the public.”

Fr Simatende noted that the tax would increase the cost of production and reduce newspaper sales.

“We are of the view that the tax would be difficult for the media to meet their social obligations of informing the public if the decision is not reversed. The tax would increase the cost of production and reduce newspaper sales and would lead to the closure of some newspaper companies. The government should propose special incentives for the growth of the industry, instead of taxes on the already struggling media,” he said.

And ZRA corporate communications manager Topsy Sikalinda said the authority’s duty was just to implement policies that were set by the government and Parliament.

“That’s a policy matter, we as ZRA implement policy, the policies that are set up by the Ministry of Finance and Parliament. Us it’s to implement the policy,” said Sikalinda.