PRESIDENT John
Magufuli yesterday closed the 20-container tax dispute at the Dar es
Salaam Port, ordering payment of all the requisite taxes and duties as
the law demands. He reminded public leaders to work diligently and
legally, warning individuals bent on using their positions to further
personal interests.
Dr Magufuli, addressing public leaders and
civil servants at Chato District Council’s Hall here, reiterated that
all leaders were duty bound to observe the country’s legislations and
refrain from being used for individual interests.
He cited the ongoing dispute over the
alleged containers stashed with school furniture, which the Tanzania
Revenue Authority (TRA) has confiscated at the Dar es Salaam port over
its owner’s failure to pay taxes.
“All the requisite taxes and duties for
the containers must be paid as the law requires…it’s only the Finance
and Planning Minister who is allowed to receive grants on behalf of the
government, not Regional Commissioners (RCs),” he fumed.
Media reports have linked the consignment
to Dar es Salaam RC Paul Makonda who is reported to have received the
furniture as donation for distribution to Dar es Salaam schools. TRA has
however snubbed the claim, stressing that all taxes and duties be fully
paid.
Dr Magufuli cited Act Number 30 of 1974 on
the Governments Loans, Guarantees and Grants which was amended through
Act Number 9 of 2003 on section 3, 6, 13, and 15, empowering only the
Finance Minister to act on behalf of government on grant related issues.
“It is only the Finance Minister who can
either borrow from local and foreign sources as well as receive grants,
loans and issue guarantees on behalf of the government,” the president
stressed, emphasising that there is no any other leader allowed to
perform such duties as per the law.
Just recently, media outlets were awash
with reports that the Dar es Salaam RC had threatened prospective buyers
of the 20 containers through anauction by the TRA. The 20 containers of
school furniture like chairs, tables and blackboards valued at 1.4bn/-
were not auctioned due to bidders’ failure to reach the bidding prices.
The RC has been quoted in some media
outlets as stating that the consignment was imported through his
personal initiatives to improve teaching environment in schools within
the region.
According to Mr Makonda, the tables,
blackboards and chairs were donated by Tanzanians living in the United
States to improve education sector in the country. But, President
Magufuli yesterday rebuffed the claim, saying sofa sets were not after
all the pertinent needs of teachers.
“Did they (teachers) tell you that sofas
are their pertinent requirements,” queried Dr Magufuli. The revenue
authority had on May 12, this year, issued a 90-day notice to owners of
800 containers, including 20 that belonged to Mr Makonda, to pay taxes
or risk auctioning.
Meanwhile, President Magufuli is scheduled
to start an eightday official tour of the Lake Zone regions between
September 3 and 10 this year. A statement by the Directorate of
Presidential Communications said that the president will visit Mwanza,
Mara and Simiyu regions.
During the tour, the statement said, the
president will lay the foundation stones and inaugurate various
development projects as well as address wananchi through public rallies.
Upon winding up the tour of the Lake Zone, Dr Magufuli is also expected
to visit the Southern Highlands regions—Katavi, Rukwa, Songwe and
Mbeya.
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