MAKAMBA December 7th (ABP) – Burundi’s Head of State Pierre Nkurunziza enhanced with his presence on Wednesday December 5, 2018, the ceremonies of the day dedicated to the taxpayer and the closing ceremonies of the trade fair of a week organized by the Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR) in Makamba (south), a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
President Nkurunziza also asked taxpayers to point the finger at the traders and businessmen who practice fraud and set up a committee to fight against fraud. He winked at the OBR to punish and incapacitate some corrupt agents of that Authority. He asked the Minister of Public Security to do everything possible to apprehend the traders of loincloths who hindered the activities of the OBR agents at the market said “to Sion” for them to be punished.The President of the Republic of Burundi encouraged the OBR for the tax increase. He indicated that from now on the seller is obliged to give the buyer a bill, if not he will be penalized according to the law. “Not giving the bill is a crime”, the Head of State said. He asked Burundians to love and buy the products produced in Burundi for Burundian companies to move forward, to fight with the last energy against fraud because it disrupts the national economy while the OBR will have to seize all items or products that have not paid tax on the market.
He finally said that it is thanks to the tax that all sectors of the country are progressing normally. He mentioned, in particular, the sectors of defense and security, agriculture and livestock, public health, the construction of public infrastructures, education and scientific research, sports and the culture and payment of State officials.
In his welcoming speech, the governor of Makamba province, Mr. Gad Niyukuri, thanked the OBR which organized the week and the day dedicated to the taxpayer in Makamba because the people were able to buy various items at affordable prices. He also thanked the OBR that built its offices at the Kabonga borders in Nyanza-Lac commune and Mugina in Mabanda commune. He also asked the OBR to build its offices at Buhema and Gatwe in Kayogoro commune to facilitate the taxpayers while thanking that Authority that agreed to build its office in Bukeye in Kibago commune.
OBR General Commissioner Audace Niyonzima said that the OBR encourages taxpayers and other Burundians who help in the success of its mission to collect the tax. He asked the taxpayers to strengthen the collaboration with the OBR and give each time the bill to contribute to the economy of the country. He said that the OBR has reached a satisfactory step because before its creation in 2009 the tax was valued at 300 billion Burundian francs while today the OBR collects more than 800 billion Burundian francs. The OBR advocates for increasing the number of taxpayers by raising the awareness among all Burundians to tax compliance.
However, he said there are traders and businessmen who continue to smuggle and some customs agencies that facilitate fraud by issuing documents that do not match the imported products, pointing the finger to traders of loincloths at the Bujumbura City Market called “to Sion” that hit OBR agents and security guards when they were performing their mission to collect and check if those loincloths had been cleared upon entry into the country.
The representative of the Federal Chamber of Trade and Industry of Burundi (CFCIB) is pleased with the good collaboration and understanding that prevails between businessmen and the OBR and especially the education on tax compliance that the OBR grants to all categories of people.
The Minister of Finance, Budget and Economic Development Cooperation, Mr. Domitien Ndihokubwayo, said that the Ministry has taken steps to facilitate the taxpayer to access the OBR services via the internet and digital technology. He also said that the Finance and Interior Ministries are in the process of seeing how the communal taxes should be collected by the OBR.
Before the occasional speech delivered by the Head of State, the OBR proceeded to the awarding of the two big taxpayers that gave 31% of the tax alone. These are BRARUDI and INTERPETROL which received a certificate and a medal, the governor of Makamba, Mr. Gad Niyukuri, who collaborated well with the OBR and fought against fraud received a certificate and a sum of money. Two security companies, namely the Burundian Security Guards and Safe Guard, received a certificate and a sum of money for hiring many people in one year. The taxpayers who were identified in the 5 regions of Burundi where the OBR is established for having declared and paid the tax within the time limits prescribed by law are: in the north, the carpentry workshop of the Ngozi Diocese, in the south, the Medisere company, to the east, the Nayigihugu Alexis Enterprise (ENA), in the west, the “Dukorere Hamwe Dusoze Ikivi” cooperative” and in the center, Mr. Charles Niyonkuru. Those 5 taxpayers received a certificate and a motorcycle and finally the journalists who produced many programs and articles related to tax compliance. They are Ms. Nadège working at the RTNB, Mr. Ezekiel Misigaro working at the Renouveau, Mr. Parfait Gahama working at the Iwacu press group and Mr. Léonce Ntakarutimana working at the Eagle Sport fm. Those journalists received a certificate and a sum of money.
Various State executives, namely some Ministers, parliamentarians, governors and other distinguished guests, took part in that celebration of Taxpayers Day, which has been organized for the third time in Burundi.