Cut taxes on salaula, Govt urged

By PETER SICHALIGOVERNMENT should reduce taxes on salaula to address smuggling of second hand clothes, Clearing Agents Association, Nakonde district chairperson Chileshe has said.Mr Chileshe said the taxes on salaula were high and recipe for smuggling.He said reducing taxes on Salaula would attract more importers to pay taxes because currently there was rampart smuggling on second hand clothes due to high taxes.“The import taxes on Salaula were designed to promote local textile industries such as Mukuba, Mulugushi and others which are no longer operational. Therefore, having high taxes is not serving any purpose but merely promoting smuggling,” he said.He said currently ZRA was charging a minimum of about K400,000 for a 40 feet container.Mr Chileshe said ZRA should reduce several other taxes to reduce smuggling.He said reducing taxes on Salaula will enhance revenue collection for ZRA.