PRESS RELEASES

Zambian Vice President Opens Refurbished ZRA Client Service Center And Launches Streamlined VAT Registration Process

Lusaka
March 27, 2007 

Lusaka, Zambia— Zambian Vice President Rupiah Banda, was joined today by U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, Andrew Passen and visiting Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Deputy CEO Rodney Bent, at the opening of the Zambia Revenue Authority’s (ZRA) refurbished Client Service Center. The ZRA has also recently streamlined its Value Added Tax (VAT) registration process, which has reduced the time required to register for VAT from three weeks to just six days.

In May 2006, the Government of Zambia and the MCC signed a $22.7 million Millennium Challenge Account Threshold Program agreement (MCATP) to reduce corruption and improve government effectiveness in two areas. The first area, “Ruling Justly,” promotes greater transparency while reducing opportunities for corruption in three target institutions – the Ministry of Lands, the Immigration Department, and the Zambia Revenue Authority. The second area, “Economic Freedom,” assists the Zambian Government to establish the Zambia Development Agency, extend the Patents and Companies Registration Office to three provincial capitals, and improve management of trade at the borders.

“I applaud the ZRA’s work to reduce the time to register for the VAT to under a week,” said Mr. Bent. “By streamlining data input and the steps necessary to register for VAT, this project is promoting transparency and increasing business productivity in Zambia.” Businesses can now complete the streamlined process entirely at the newly refurbished ZRA Client Service Center without having to visit additional offices in the ZRA complex. The Client Service Centre will be a one stop shop for all dealings with ZRA.

Mr. Bent added, “Zambia is a valued partner in the fight against corruption and I commend President Mwanawasa for his leadership. We also thank our colleagues at USAID and the U.S. Embassy for all of their efforts throughout the implementation of this program. We look forward to strengthening our partnership with the government of Zambia as more implementation successes are achieved.”

As part of the renewed commitment to transparency and public service, ZRA approved a new Code of Ethics, setting guidelines for professional and ethical conduct of ZRA staff. The ZRA’s Integrity Committee, in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Commission and the MCATP, launched the new Code today with the President leading ZRA officers in a public affirmation to the Code of Ethics. The ZRA will soon display a “citizen’s charter,” outlining the level of service Zambians can expect from the agency.
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