Tanzania, Rwanda ready for 24/7 customs

Written by EABW REPORTER

"KIGALI, RWANDA- The Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) last week launched 16 hour operations at Katuna, Rwanda-Uganda border post to facilitate rapid movement of goods and people.

Katuna is Rwanda’s customs border post neighbouring with Uganda in the west. The initiative on September 1 was presided over by the Deputy Commissioner General and Commissioner for Customs and Excise in RRA, Mr. Torero Eugene.

The exercise saw a fleet of inland and outland trailers moving as late as 8:00 pm.
During the launch, Torero said that the operation is one of the means put in place by the tax administration to facilitate the business community, enabling them to access customs services all day round."

Complete article at "Tanzania, Rwanda ready for 24/7 customs"

Category: Rwanda + Revenue + Taxation + Economy

Rwanda starts 24-hour border operations

Uganda Rwanda Border Photo by Matthew

By David Kezio-Musoke of Daily Monitor

"Rwanda has announced a 24-hour border operation at all her border customs posts with East African Community partner states and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Rwanda becomes the third country after Kenya and Uganda to start 24 hour customs operations within the EAC bloc as a measure to hasten trade and improve movement of goods and persons across the region.

The move comes weeks after Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki directed the implementation of a 24 hour, seven days a week delivery, at the port of Mombasa and border entry at Lunga Lunga, Taveta, Namanga, Isabenia and Malaba. The move would see the clearance of cargo at the port of Mombasa reduced from 48 hours to a maximum of 24 hours."

Complete story at "Rwanda starts 24-hour border operations"

Category: Rwanda + Revenue + Transportation + Taxation

Rwanda: Govt Waives All Taxes On Diesel

By Eddie Mukaaya of The New Times (Kigali)

The Government has announced that it has waived all import duties on diesel as fuel prices continue to rise. This was disclosed by the State Minister for Industry and Investment Promotion, Vincent Karega.

According to a mini survey conducted in Kigali City, pump prices for petrol and diesel this week increased from Frw799 to Frw892. Kerosene increased from Frw721 to Frw814.

The hikes have been blamed on the increase in oil prices worldwide, and the Government's move to guarantee a 100 percent duty-free diesel imports is one of the immediate efforts to avert a possible crisis. Fuel dealers have since been paying a 2 percent tax on diesel.

Category: Rwanda + Transportation + Taxation

EAC signs tax harmonization agreement with Germany

BY BERNA NAMATA IN KAMPALA of The New Times

"The East African Community (EAC) and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on Tuesday signed a technical cooperation agreement to promote tax harmonization within the Community.

The agreement was signed at the EAC headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, by the EAC Secretary General, Ambassador Juma Volter Mwapachu and the German Ambassador to Tanzania, Wolfgang Ringe.

Mwapachu said that the agreement was timely and praised Germany for supporting the EAC integration process. The €2 million deal is to be implemented within a period of 8 years ending 31 December 2015."

Complete story at "EAC signs tax harmonization agreement with Germany"

Category: Rwanda + Taxation + East African Community

Companies boost Rwanda’s coffers

BY KABONA ESIARA of The New Times

"A growing sense of ‘paying tax is my obligation’ among the country’s companies combined with healthy corporate profits and high consumption rates boosted the country’s revenue receipts for January and February.

Preliminary figures provided by Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) put revenue for the two months at more than Frw43.2 billion, above the 39.2 billion, and about Frw4 billion more than the original target. Last year during the same period, the tax body only managed to collect Frw33.2 billion.

“As the economy grows the consumption rates increase,” Annette Birungi RRA’s publicist said, explaining why VAT collections were more."

Complete story at "Companies boost Rwanda’s coffers"

Category: Rwanda + Taxation

Doing business: Customs to remain open until 10:00 pm

BY KABONA ESIARA of The New Times

"Customs’ points that have been closing at 6:00 pm in Rwanda may remain open until 10:00 pm to handle the growing business within the country.

Eugène Torero, Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) deputy commissioner general said the extra four hour service will remain within Rwanda but may extended to other borders to ease cross-border trade and movement of people.

Most border posts in the East African region close at 6.00 pm to the chagrin of importers who complain that closing early makes them incur more costs especially on transport, demurrage and accommodation—thus making doing business in the region very expensive."

Read the article at "Doing business: Customs to remain open until 10:00 pm"

Category: Rwanda + Taxation

Tax compliant importers to get VIP treatment

BY The New Times' Reporter

"Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) is to accord tax compliant traders special status, reflecting the governments move to ease doing business in the country.

As of March 18 this year, the tax body is to introduce the Blue Channel status where low risk transactions (not prone to tax evasions); will not be subjected to customs verification process. RRA will instead focus its energy on verifying higher risk transactions."

Complete story at "Tax compliant importers to get VIP treatment"

Category: Rwanda + Taxation

RRA ‘stops’ receiving cash payments

BY KABONA ESIARA AND G. MAJYAMBERE of The New Times

"Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) is not accepting bank notes and coins from tax payers in a move to speed up tax clearance in the country.

Eugène Torero, RRA deputy directors general said anybody paying tax of Frw500,000 and more has to be by cheque. This is part of the reforms RRA has embarked on, to ease doing business in the country.

Bank tellers would waste a lot of time counting notes and coins. This would cause delays and congestions in banking halls."

Read on at "RRA ‘stops’ receiving cash payments"

Category: Rwanda + Revenue

Tax identification numbers for all tax payers

BY FLAVIA BUSINGYE, Flavia Busingye is the RRA media officer

"The Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has issued a tax identification number (TIN) to all taxpayers.

A TIN is a tax processing number. It is a nine-digit number that always begins with the numbers 1, 0.

TINs are for filing purposes only; they serve no other purpose and are not valid forms of identification outside the tax system. TINs facilitate categorization of taxpayers, enabling the tax administration to know who deals in what."

Read the complete article at "Tax identification numbers for all tax payers"

Category: Rwanda + Taxation + Economy

The Rwanda Revenue Authority - RRA - targets Frw264.8bn

Phot by gbrault292

BY GASHEEGU MURAMILA of The New Times -
"KIMIHURURA - The Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has set a target of Frw264.8bn in projected tax collections this year. This was disclosed yesterday by RRA Commissioner General, Mary Baine. “After studying the performance of the economy, we came up with a target of Frw264.8bn this year which is higher than that of last year,” Baine said during a press conference at the RRA offices in Kimihurura. Last year, RRA collected Frw248billion from both taxes on goods and services. That was way beyond the tax body’s set target of Frw220billion at the being of the year."

Complete story at "The Rwanda Revenue Authority - RRA - targets Frw264.8bn"

Category: Rwanda + Taxation + Economy

Rwanda, Tanzania join Kenya, Uganda in online tax system

By BENON HERBERT OLUKA Special Correspondent of The East African

"Rwanda will join Uganda and Kenya in the Revenue Authorities’ Data Exchange system by April, three months before Tanzania joins.
This comes hot on the heels of initial success of the system launched in October last year that links Kenya and Uganda tax authorities."

Complete article at "Rwanda, Tanzania join Kenya, Uganda in online tax system"

Category: Rwanda + Economy

Rwanda: Rwanda refutes “gorilla tax” claims

From the Official Website of ORTPN - The Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks.

"The Rwanda Office of Tourism and National Parks (ORTPN) would like to strongly disassociate itself with the recent unfounded reports by AFP which stated that Rwandan companies using the country's famous mountain gorillas' image for marketing purposes will have to pay a tax with effect from 2008.

At no occasion did Mr. Fidele Ruzigandekwe, Director of Rwanda Wildlife conservation Agency have the interview with the said AFP reporter despite having falsely quoted him in the report."

Complete Press Release at "Rwanda: Rwanda refutes “gorilla tax” claims"

Category: Rwanda + Tourism

'Gorilla tax' for Rwanda firms

"KIGALI (AFP) - Rwandan companies using the country's famous mountain gorillas' image for marketing purposes will have to pay a tax aimed at financing the endangered species protection, officials announced Monday.

"We are launching this campaign to generate income earmarked for the species' protection," said Fidele Ruzigandekwe, in charge of conservation at the Rwandan Office of Tourism and National Parks."

Complete article at the website of News24.com ... "'Gorilla tax' for Rwanda firms"

Category: Rwanda + Tourism

RRA sensitises taxpayers on VAT

By Bosco Hitimana of the EABW

"KIGALI, RWANDA - Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has taken ground breaking initiatives to sensitise the business community on Value Added Tax (VAT) collection.
The move which kicked off in Kigali's biggest commercial streets last week aims at updating taxpayers on VAT law, collection and declaration upon receiving it.
RRA's deputy commissioner in charge of small and medium tax payers Mr. Vincent Uzaramba told East African Business Week that the tax body wanted to hear the concerns of the taxpayers to enable it tailor make solutions."

Complete story at http://www.busiweek.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4545&Itemid=9

Category: Rwanda + Economy