Zambia: Dagga Growers Will Not Be Tolerated - Magande

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McDonald Chipenzi

The Post (Zambia)

Sunday 29 Feb 2004

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FINANCE minister Ng'andu Magande has said Zambia will not allow people
to grow dagga in green houses because it damages young people.
Winding up debate on the motion to amend the Income Tax Act in
Parliament on Friday, Magande said waiving of tax on tobacco should not
be a leeway for farmers to grow dagga in green houses.
Magande said dagga was very dangerous for young people.
And Livingstone UPND member of parliament Sakwiba Sikota said it was
surprising for Magande to reduce tax on tobacco and yet increase it on
essential services such as air time on mobile phones. "I am totally
opposed to the introduction of tax on air time because this is being
insensitive to the needs of the people," Sikota said.
"Government is forgetting that communication is an important tool in the
industrialisation process of the country."

Sikota said Magande would have put more tax on tobacco because its
consumption was supposed to be controlled to help society move in a
certain direction.

Choma UPND member of parliament Jessie Muleya said the introduction of
tax on air time would restrict the growth of the economy and would make
it difficult for people from the low income group and those in rural
areas to communicate.

But tourism deputy minister Nedson Nzowa said he totally supported the
introduction of air time tax on cellular phones because there was
nothing special with them if Zambia Telecommunications Company ( Zamtel
) was paying a bill of K6 billion per month.

Nzowa said government should instead remove tax on stamps to protect the
majority and level the playing field.

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