Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) board chairperson
William Bonyongwe’s stay at the tax collector could be coming to an end amid
indications government is unlikely to renew her contract when it expires this
month.
Sources said Bonyongwe, who introduced sweeping reforms at
Zimra, will be replaced for a number of reasons, which include the breakdown of
the Automated Systems for Customs Data (Ascyuda) platform which saw around
US$20 million in potential revenue being lost.
The same sources said government will take this opportunity
to remove her from the board.
Bonyongwe is the wife of former Central Intelligence
Organisation boss Happyton. Her husband, who had become Justice minister in the
twilight of Robert Mugabe’s administration, was dropped from cabinet last
November.
The Ascyuda system at Beitbridge border post broke down in
December last year, effectively slowing down the processing of commercial cargo
entering Zimbabwe through the entry point.
When the system broke down, deputy finance minister Terence
Mukupe directed blame at the Zimra board, headed by Bonyongwe.
“The board members including their chairperson are fully
aware of these challenges. They chose to be complacent and allowed a total
collapse of the system.
“I will present my recommendations on the fate of the Zimra
board to my boss (Minister Patrick Chinamasa) who will have the final say,”
Mukupe said earlier this year after touring the Beitbridge border post.
The Beitbridge entry point, which links Zimbabwe and South
Africa, is the busiest port of entry in the country, in terms of revenue
collections.
Bonyongwe is also reportedly facing resistance from within
the board for introducing sweeping changes at Zimra, which include banning the
digital recording of meetings.
She took the decision to scrap digital recording of meeting
proceedings, reportedly to stimulate free and interactive debate among members. zimbabwe independenty
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