How do you view move to impose tax on simcards ?

 
A customer inserts a simcard into his mobile phone handset PHOTO I FILE
IN SUMMARY

The government is being urged to explore alternative sources of revenue, such as mobile phone companies that spend a lot of money on promotional campaigns

There are deep misgivings amongst the public on the proposed simcard tax. They feel that it would make life harder for many ordinary people.

The government is being urged to explore alternative sources of revenue, such as mobile phone companies that spend a lot of money on promotional campaigns

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The simcard tax is uncalled for. In 2009, President Jakaya Kikwete brought the submarine fiber optic cable which, among other things, aimed at reducing communication costs to the unreachable mass. This tax negates his initiative.

I think operators should bear the cost as a challenge to improve services and retain clients rather than retaining customers by injecting billions in media promotions.

The government also needs to reduce taxpayers’ burden by cutting off unnecessary travels using expensive cars and huge per diem payments.

Angovi Msuya, Kilimanjaro

It has stirred my conscience that as US President Barack Obama announced Power Africa project which aims at increasing access to energy by Africans, the government is introducing simcard tax charges with an almost similar concept-collecting money for rural electrification. So what was the benefit of Mr Obama’s tour to an ordinary person like me?

Saddam, Arusha

I am proposing the abolition of sitting allowances for MPs, so as to spare more money for rural development projects.

Mpoki, Dar es Salaam

Charging a monthly Sh1,000 from simcard owners is a symptom of a failed government. Why don’t they seriously collect taxes from mining companies and other core sources of revenue? If we allow this, I think one day we will be sold.