Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti yesterday asked why the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front chief whip Pupurai Tigarepi was after his case when he was so ugly.
Togarepi had asked the Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube to increase government revenue by widening the tax base because there were a lot of businesses and wealthy people that were not paying taxes.
“People in Zimbabwe are very rich because they have a lot of billions in their bank accounts and there are people like Hon. Biti who drive expensive cars yet they do not pay their taxes,” Togarepi said.
Biti protested: “On a point of Order Mr. Speaker. My point of order is that the esteemed Chief Whip from the Government side, since morning, has just been after my case. So, I am wondering what is the motive. I do not know why he is dreaming about me. I am so ugly and I do not know why he is dreaming about me. The whole day it is Biti, Biti, Biti. I need protection.”
When Speaker Jacob Mudenda asked where the two had met in the morning, Togarepi replied: “I only mentioned Hon. Biti’s name as a person I normally joke with. I do not have any other issues with him. I just used his name as an example, as someone whom I am facing as I stand here.”
Full exchange
HON. TOGAREPI: It is Hon. Biti who had said to me, “this man”. I withdraw. Mr. Speaker Sir, if I am to consider the statement by the Minister of Finance, it reflects that the money that we get to allocate to different Ministries is very little because the Minister does not have multiple revenue collection measures. When we look at Zimbabwe, there are businesses that are in operation that are not paying tax or revenue and the Minister is not considering these in his statements. If you go to Mbare at a place called Magaba, you will find sacks and sacks of money and that money does not find its way into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. So, the Minister needs to come up with measures together with his Ministry, to find ways of ensuring that everyone in Zimbabwe has a culture of paying taxes.
People in Zimbabwe are very rich because they have a lot of billions in their bank accounts and there are people like Hon. Biti who drive expensive cars yet they do not pay their taxes.
HON. BITI: On a point of Order Mr. Speaker. My point of order is that the esteemed Chief Whip from the Government side, since morning, has just been after my case. So, I am wondering what is the motive. I do not know why he is dreaming about me. I am so ugly and I do not know why he is dreaming about me. The whole day it is Biti, Biti, Biti. I need protection.
THE HON. SPEAKER: Where did you meet this morning?
HON. TOGAREPI: I only mentioned Hon. Biti’s name as a person I normally joke with. I do not have any other issues with him. I just used his name as an example, as someone whom I am facing as I stand here. There are many people here in Zimbabwe who are wealthy but are not paying taxes that can contribute to the revenue. The Ministry of Finance should sit down and consider some of these measures to collect revenue to ensure that roads are rehabilitated and health centres are well furnished and resources are available. What I was saying is that we have so much wealth and for some, we know where their wealth is coming from. My question is, are these people paying taxes in line with the wealth that they have? The Minister should consider this to ensure that our country is able to get revenue.
Our economy is predominantly informal, which means our economy is more in the informal sector than in the formal sector but we realise that the Minister seems to be targeting those in the formal sector. There are more people in the informal sector who have more money than those in the formal sector. Government does not have industries and that is the only way that it can get tax. Everyone should be cultured in such a way that they contribute by way of paying tax.
Source: InsideZim
