Tanzania is developing a comprehensive third anti-corruption strategy for its revenue collection watchdog in an effort to boost tax collections as well as scale down bribery within government cycles.

George Mkuchika, Minister of State in the President’s Office for Good Governance, revealed the plan in Arusha on Monday when speaking at a forum participated by experts in tax collections from east and central African countries.

The minister said the strategy is now in a very advanced stage, whereby different stakeholders are putting in constructive inputs for the envisaged blue print.

He was optimistic that the third anti-corruption strategy would help in eliminating corruption and related misconducts within Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) and the entire government systems.

Mkuchika said the new strategy would also boost tax collection base as people would build trust on TRA compared to the current situation “as of now there are those who avoid paying tax because they fear that their money would get into corruptive hands.”

“We’re eager to see the strategy came in as soon as possible,” the minister said, adding that corruption has very negative impacts on the country’s socio-economic development.

He said apart from the proposed strategy, Tanzania has a number of tools in place to reduce the scale of the problem.

“And as I am speaking now, there are public officials who are in court and some sentenced for corruption,” he said.

Commenting on good governance status, the minister said Tanzania ranks number two after Rwanda in East African countries on good governance.

“But, we are also struggling to improve and be the best performers in the area of good governance,” he said.

TRA Director General Rished Bade said the anti-corruption strategy is based on ideas and expertise from different fields and after adoption “our strategy will be embedded in the National Anti- Corruption Strategy and Action Plan (NACSAP) to combat corruption in the country.”

He also expressed optimism that the envisaged new anti- corruption strategy and action plan, expected to be implemented jointly with external stakeholders, would be more efficient and effective in terms of curbing corruption within TRA circles.

EARLIER REPORT:

Burundi opens electronic single window

BUJUMBURA Burundi (Xinhua) — Burundi Second Vice-President Gervais Rufyikiri Monday launched the electronic single window at the Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR) in order to boost trade in the east African nation.

Several officials including the country’s Finance and Economic Development Minister Tabu Abdallah Manirakiza, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Odette Kayitesi and Public Health and AIDS Control Minister Dr Sabine Ntakarutimana and TradeMark Africa (TMA) Burundi Country Director, Anthe Vrijlandt, attended the launch of the country’s electronic single window.

“The electronic single window will boost revenues, transparency and respect of international standards for the country’s general interest,” said Rufyikiri.

According to him, the new system comes to facilitate importers in terms of security of their goods and the reduction of time to receive their goods.

Rufyikiri said, “The electronic single window will facilitate trade exchanges and will have a big impact on the reduction of transaction costs.”

He added that the costs will reduce either during imports or exports.

Rufyikiri added that the reduction of the time used during the shipping of goods will also have an impact on the reduction of prices for consumers.

Four out of the country’s nine stakeholders due to implement the electronic single window attended its launch.

They include the Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR), the Burundi Bureau of Standards and Quality Control (BBN), the Burundian Finance and Economic Development Ministry and the country’s Agriculture and Livestock Ministry.

Burundian Finance and Economic Development Minister Tabu Abdallah Manirakiza urged the remaining five stakeholders to join “quickly” the others.

Source: Coast Week

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