Mzimba district commissioner (DC) Thomas Chirwa has asked people in the district to track public funds to fully benefit from the taxes they pay.
The DC made the appeal on Tuesday at Kanjuchi in the district where Action Aid, in partnership with Tipone Development Community Organisation and Khosolo Women Forum, held a tax meeting with the M’mbelwa District Council.
The meeting, held under ActionAid’s Tax Justice Project funded by Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (Osisa), sought to help people appreciate how the council uses funds.
Chirwa said people should play a role in tracking public funds, observing that sometimes abuse of funds goes unnoticed because citizens are not interested to know how the funds are being used.
“When you do not report abuse, it means you have taken part in it.
“Your silence will affect the whole community, including you. When funds are abused it means you will not have good schools, medicine in hospitals, good roads and other social facilities,” he said.
Khosolo Women Forum representative Jenipher Chisale said it is painful that people pay market fees and other taxes, but do not get good services from the government.
Mzimba ActionAid district coordinator Wongani Mugaba has said it is high time people started taking to task officials on use of taxes.
He said people in rural areas should have interest in the projects in their areas to ensure transparency and accountability.
