By Angela Moonga
The Ministry of Finance and National Planning will this week launch public consultation on the 2027-2032 Medium-Term Revenue Strategy (MTRS) with a core objective of building a tax system that is fair, transparent and supports investment, economic growth, and voluntary compliance.
In a statement to the media yesterday, the Secretary to the Treasury Felix Nkulukusa stated that his Ministry was moving towards strengthening domestic resource mobilisation and fostering fiscal sustainability and financing for national development, during the consultations slated for the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
He stated that the consultations would bring together the public sector, the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders under the theme “Mobilising Domestic Resources for Sustainable Growth and National Development.”
”The MTRS is intended to provide a coherent medium-term framework for revenue reforms, moving beyond fragmented annual measures towards a more predictable and efficient approach. At its core is the objective of building a tax system that is fair, transparent and supports investment, economic growth, and voluntary compliance,” Nkulukusa stated.
He stated that the ultimate objective was a revenue system that enables Zambia to finance more of its development from its own resources while supporting investment, economic growth, job creation and long-term fiscal stability.
Nkulukusa, permanent secretary for Budget and Economic affairs Mwaka Mukubesa, Zambia Revenue Authority Commissioner General Dingani Banda and budget office director Willies Chipango would give addresses during the event.
”The consultations will address three interconnected questions: why Zambia needs stronger domestic revenues, what additional and predictable resources can enable Government to finance, and how improved tax administration and compliance can translate revenue potential into sustainable fiscal performance,” the statement read in part. “The MTRS recognizes that Zambia’s long-term development cannot depend excessively on borrowing or volatile revenue sources. Therefore, mobilising more resources domestically is critical to strengthening national ownership of development financing and creating fiscal space for priority developmental programmes. More importantly, we anticipate stronger revenue performance to be matched by emphasis on expenditure efficiency, accountability and value for money.”
Nkulukusa stated that in the medium-term going forward, additional reliable domestic revenues were expected to increase the government’s capacity to finance priorities such as public goods and services, infrastructure, social protection, energy, agriculture, livestock development, and climate resilience–while reducing reliance on additional debt.
”By improving revenue predictability and strengthening the investment environment, the MTRS can support private-sector expansion and job creation. Efficient revenue mobilisation can also increase fiscal space for infrastructure, agriculture, energy and other productive sectors, helping unlock enterprise growth, strengthen economic participation and create sustainable employment opportunities, particularly for young people,” read the statement in part. “In their presentation to delegates during the launch and consultative-meeting on the 2027–2031 Medium-Term Revenue Strategy, the Zambia Revenue Authority will outline measures aimed at narrowing tax-compliance gaps and modernising revenue administration through greater use of data, digitalisation, risk-based compliance systems and improved taxpayer services. The planned reforms are intended to make compliance simpler for legitimate taxpayers while strengthening action against tax evasion and revenue leakage.”
Nkulukusa further stated that: “Through the Thursday consultations, the Government intends to build broad national ownership of the MTRS, identify priority reforms, and establish a practical framework for implementation involving the Government, the Zambia Revenue Authority, businesses, civil society and other stakeholders.”
