Council to collect K6 million from Kabaza taxi operators in Dedza
Dedza District Council has revealed its plans of collecting taxes on Kabaza (bike taxi) operators in the district as one way boosting their revenue collection.
Speaking during a full council meeting, Chairperson of finance Councillor Laiden Sekelani said it is their plan to collect K6 million from people doing Kabaza businesses in the district in order to complete some of the projects which are at stand still due to lack of funds.
“As a council we have lined a lot of development activities that will need money. It is because of this reason that we have introduced taxes on Kabaza operators as one of the means to find resources for our projects,” said Sekelani.
He added that the exercise has already started and will make sure that those having motor bike taxis are registered with the district council.
In his remarks one of the taxi bikes operators Chisomo Chimbiya said this is a welcome idea to them saying that it will help to identify the total number of bike taxi operators in the district, but asked the council to give them more time for them to register their motorbikes.
“As taxi operators we are not against the idea that council should tax business people but it is our plea that the council should give us time to register our business, as am saying the council has started confiscating our bikes which is not good,” said Chimbiya.
Chimbiya therefore called upon responsible people at the council to involve them in their meetings saying that this will help them to contribute fully to development of their business.
For a Kabaza operator to be allowed to do business in the district will need insurance, registration number plate and licence which cost them about K200, 000. On daily basis Kabaza operators make an average of K3000.
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This is murder on the high seas. On top of the motor bike, they have to raise a further 200K just to register. With the K3000 a day revenue, it will take over 70days to recover it, not to mention the cost of the bike, salary for the driver and servicing. This is killing an interpreneur. Killing the economy from grass roots.