. Chanda

By JAMES KUNDA –
PATRIOTIC Front (PF) information committee member Sunday Chanda says Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) president Linda Kasonde should tone down and make coherent statements based on facts when commenting on tax issues surrounding the Post Newspapers.
Mr Chanda said in a statement that Ms Kasonde’s utterances on Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA)’s seizure of property belonging to the Post Newspapers after failing to pay more than K53 million in various taxes were without facts and devoid of impartiality.
He was reacting to Ms Kasonde’s Press briefing at the LAZ secretariat in Lusaka on Monday at which she said that the action by the tax authority on The Post was illegal.
“Ms Kasonde must slow down and make coherent and intelligent statements based on facts before she runs the risk of embarrassing the reputable LAZ and the entire legal fraternity in Zambia.
“We remind Zambians that Ms Kasonde is glossing all over real issues regarding how Mr Fred M’membe became a tax offender who must pay ordinary Zambians what he owes according to the Supreme Court.
“She is creating her own fictitious narrative due to the excitement of her new election at the expense of the LAZ reputation,” Mr Chanda said.
He said Ms Kasonde incoherently referred to a court order, a document allegedly issued by a Revenue Tribunal but which could not be binding as the institution was repealed and replaced by the Tax Appeals Tribunal.
Mr Chanda said there was no ruling that could overrule a Supreme Court judgment, thus the party wondered what Ms Kasonde meant in reference as a legally-binding court order which was defied when ZRA pounced on The Post.
He said Zambians were victims of Mr M’membe’s failure to own up to his tax obligations and thus Ms Kasonde was offside in her conduct depicted through the statement which she issued during the Press event.
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with Ms Kasonde defending the tax defaulting Post newspapers, but she must at least do it based on facts,” Mr Chanda said.