Albert Rudatsimburwa the Director of Contact FM (maroon shirt) shammed by journalists outside the radio premises after it was shut down for evading taxes.
Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has today shutdown businesses in Kigali city most of which have pending tax arrears totaling Rwf 62 billion.
“Efforts to make business owners pay taxes according to legal procedures were futile. Closing their business was our last option,” Richard Tushabe, RRA Commissioner General has told KT Press.
Drocella Mukashyaka, deputy commissioner general in charge of tax payer service department says that over 100 business owners were approached since September last year, after failing to pay taxes.
Two commercial radios including Contact FM and City Radio were closed to launch the campaign aimed at closing business of tax evaders.
Owners of affected businesses first held discussions with RRA staff until they reached a consensus.
They were sent an official notification and given 30 days to appeal from the RRA appeal committee that is chaired by the commissioner General.
Tushabe told KT Press, “We have been doing this exercise, but this time we want to put in more efforts.”
As his business was being closed,
Albert Rudatsimburwa the director of Contact FM twitted after his business was shut down; “I totally agree with you. I don’t need to be reminded. I plead innocent until proven guilty.”
After closure of the business, owners are free to submit a plan on how they can pay in installment, says Mukashyaka, otherwise their businesses will remain closed.
