Kalaba rubbishes giving up MRT for paltry US$1.4bn

By ADRIAN MWANZA
IT is illogical for a government to give up annual revenue of over US$2 billion in Mineral Royalty Tax from mines to go and beg for a paltry US$1.4 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which will be disbursed over three years, Democratic Party (DP) President, Harry Kalaba, has said.
He said the US$1.4 billion received from IMF was not enough to solve the country’s problems.
Mr Kalaba said it was laughable for a country that was producing Copper, Gold, Cobalt and even Diamonds to ask for US$1.4 billion when it could be raised if the government put its house in order.
He said it was unfortunate that the government was busy giving tax holidays to mines which had the capacity to raise about US$2 billion, which was more than the money they were getting from IMF.
Mr Kalaba said that the removal of mineral royalties was a blunder as the mines had the capacity to raise the said amounts.
“They don’t expect us to be clapping for them when they have made a blunder. Giving mining firms tax holidays is wrong because that’s a venture we can use to generate revenue,” he said.
He said there was need to start generating money in the country rather than ask for alms from western countries.
Mr Kalaba said that the new dawn government needed to concentrate more inwardly than outwardly.
He said that there was need for leaders to get more serious and focus on generating revenue because the country was endowed with resources.
“Magufuli was a good example because he rejected US$10 billion from China as he believed that his government could generate its own revenue rather than being given,” he said.
Mr Kalaba said that what was needed for the country was to seal the financial seepages and loopholes to generate revenue.
He said the minerals which were found in the country if properly utilised could help the country generate the much needed revenue.
Meanwhile, Mr Kalaba said that he did not condemn President Hakainde Hichilema’s trips because they were a common trend.
He however said the head of State did not understand the protocol which made him attack his predecessor without being well informed.
“I think the President was not fair on his predecessor because he did not understand the trend and attacked him,” he said.
Mr Kalaba said that he did not want to delve on the matter because he understood the nitty gritties of the trips.