Lissu: We’ll reform the tax regime for fairness

Dar es Salaam. Chadema’s presidential candidate Tundu Lissu yesterday said if elected, his administration would reform the tax and tariffs systems to make them friendly to farmers and remove all restrictions that limit them from accessing the global market for their produce.

Mr Lissu was speaking during a campaign rally in Mbarali in Mbeya Region. He said: “For many years, farmers have been struggling on their own--from searching for seeds, fertilizers, to the time after harvesting as there is a problem finding reliable markets”.

“Mbarali is one of the key food producing districts in the country. This is home to rice farming, but farmers experience a lot of hassles from cultivating all the way to harvesting and accessing markets. We want to end this suffering,” he said.

Mr Lissu said his reign would create good diplomatic relations with all neighbouring countries to ensure Tanzanian farmers acquire reliable market for their produce.

He said his government will also introduce tax payer’s bill of rights that would be fair and help in making payers understand the reasons and rationale behind taxes.

“Our plan is to reduce the tax burden to business personnel and workers in our country,” said Mr Lissu. While in Njombe he said his government would ensure personal freedom as per Katiba.

Mr Lissu further asserted that he will make sure all the citizens that were removed from their respective lands to make way for government projects will be fairly compensated.

“We will make sure that it is included in the national constitution that the public is involved in the decisions that in any way impacts their lives or homes,” he said.

Njombe

During his campaign in the district Mr Lissu insisted in his advocacy for freedom.

“Freedom is very important and the fight for it doesn’t end even after the country acquire its independence,” he said.

“I understand that we have already had our freedom since 1961, however the freedom we are striving for is of the people to be free in making their decisions without fear,” he said.

Lissu said, “Even after the late father of the nation Julius Nyerere fought and got independence he continued to advocate for freedom through his book ‘Uhuru na maendeleo’ (freedom and development)”.

According to Lissu, Nyerere wrote in his book that he wished for the people to be free in criticizing the government and the President because they are the ones that elected him/her.