Mozambique: Tax Authority one of most corrupt institutions

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Mozambique: Tax Authority one of most corrupt institutions

6:10 CAT | 31 Jul 2020

Photo: Noticias

The chairperson of the Mozambican Tax Authority (AT), Amelia Muendane, on Thursday deplored the growing number of tax officials involved in acts of corruption.

Speaking at the opening in Maputo of a retreat for staff of the AT’s Internal Control Office, Muendane said corruption in the AT has an impact on the collection of revenue for the State, and limits the normal functioning of the national economy.

“We cannot remain indifferent to this scenario”, she said, “particularly because the Tax Authority is now regarded as one of the most corrupt institutions in Mozambique. In no way can we take any pride in this – quite the contrary”.

“The fight without quarter against corruption was and always will be one of our greatest challenges”, declared Muendane.

She stressed that the implementation of good practices is the most important measure for promoting morality, values and the principles of integrity and patriotism. That, Muendane, insisted, was why there should be exemplary punishment of offenders, so as to end impunity within the AT.

“How long will we continue to tolerate conflicts of interest?”, she asked – such conflicts arose, for example, when one and the same person was collecting taxes, while at the same time acting as an accountant, a broker or even a defence lawyer for offenders.

“How long will we pretend to be auditing accounts, when we are really making up numbers to penalise the taxpayer?”, Muendane asked.

She believed it was time for tax officers to stop believing that the customs posts at the borders, or the domestic tax collection posts “are our fields where we can freely harvest crops and eat them with impunity. For how long are we going to invest all our wisdom in protecting offenders and penalising the State?”

She challenged members of the Internal Control Office to end all impunity, favouritism and trafficking of influence when they handle cases of corruption. “We have to put an end to so much impunity”, Muendane declared. “The Control Office must start looking at itself deeply, and assess the weaknesses and risks which lead to institutional failure”.

Drawing up a balance sheet f the 2015-2019 period, she said that 231 tax and customs agents had been prosecuted for involvement in contraband, theft, and coercing taxpayers, among other offences.

But she was sure that the figure of 231 cases is far from reflecting the true scale of corruption within the AT.

The meeting, she urged, should therefore draw up directives leading to far-reaching reforms in the AT’s control systems “which will result in strengthening institutional ethics and integrity”.

Source: AIM