• Businesses must take advantage of the Tax Amnesty announced by Minister of Finance in his 2023 national budget address.
• Tax amnesty is meant to help businesses and individuals deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• The program intends to give taxpayers an opportunity to normalize their tax records and ensure that they are tax compliant.
Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has called on businesses to take advantage of the Tax Amnesty which was announced by Minister of Finance in his 2023 national budget address.
ZRA Acting Corporate Communications Manager Oliver Nzala explained that the tax amnesty is meant to help businesses and individuals deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which presented a health and economic burden across the globe.
Mr. Nzala added that the amnesty program intends to give taxpayers an opportunity to normalize their tax records and ensure that they are tax compliant.
“The initiative which was announced by the Minister of Finance in his 2023 national budget address is meant to help businesses and individuals deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic by scraping all penalties and interest accrued on tax defaults up to 30th September, 2022 once they settle their tax arrears, “he said.
He further said the amnesty covers liabilities for all tax types, accrued up to 30th September 2022, and will also provide relief to taxpayers through the waiving of penalties and interest on tax declarations and liabilities.
“All affected persons and businesses need to ensure that their principal obligations are settled by March 31, 2023. The requirement is that any taxpayer who currently has outstanding taxes and penalties and interest computed up to 30th September 2022, can apply and arrange to pay before 31st March, 2023,”he stated.
Mr. Nzala said the Amnesty process has been automated and all applications will be done online.
“Taxpayers are able to access account statements and file returns including transactions for the legacy period. It is expected that the automated process will make it easier for the taxpayers to access and benefit from the amnesty easily and timely,”he added.
On Friday 30th September 2022, Minister of Finance and National Planning Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane announced in his 2023 national budget speech that there will be a Tax Amnesty starting 1st October, 2023 up to 31st March, 2023.
