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INFORMATION Communication Technology Minister, Nelson Chamisa said Zimbabweans importing ICT products still pay duty because officers from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority are unaware of the new regulations exempting the goods.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti last year waived duty on ICT products such as computers and cell phones in his maiden mid-term budget review.
But Chamisa said Zimra officers thought the directive only affected the importation of computer hardware.
ICT products include television sets, cameras, and computer software among others.
“There are people with blinkers and are of the myopic view that by ICT one is only referring to computers.
“We have received complaints that people have been forced to pay duty on items that otherwise fall under ICT.
“We will have to compile a list that we will give to Zimra through the Finance Minister to raise awareness on ICT gadgets that are waived from duty,” Chamisa said last week.
He was briefing ICT stakeholders on the recently held meeting of African ministers that coincided with the African Union 14th Ordinary Summit held in Ethiopia recently.
The summit ran under the theme “Information and Communication Technologies in Africa: Prospects and Challenges for Development”.
Zimra spokesperson, Taungana Ndoro last week said they needed specific information from people who were affected before commenting on the issue.
On the summit, Chamisa said Africa’s leadership was embracing ICT as shown by how Egypt has been using mobile phones to fight disease outbreaks.
He said Rwanda was another African state that had made strides in ICT through its rural information kiosks.
Chamisa said the unity government considered the optic fibre cable project a national priority.
Optic fibre allows broadband internet services, which are reliable and fast.
The project will be completed before the end of June.
BY JOHN MOKWETSI
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