Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) has tasked university students to sensitise the public about Value Added Tax as part of efforts to scale up the use of electronic billing machines (EBM) by tax payers.

The use of electronic billing machines was launched in 2013 for businesses worth over Rwf20 million, but their use is yet to be fully embraced by tax payers.

Speaking at a tax sensitisation campaign at the Independent University of Kigali (ULK) on Thursday, Pascal Ruganintwari, deputy commissioner general of RRA, stressed the importance of taxes in the development of the country.

The tax sensitisation campaign was conducted under the theme,"The role of EBM in promoting tax compliance in Rwanda.”

Ruganintwari said students should understand the role of Electronic Billing Machines in tax compliance in order to also enlighten tax payers.

"Youth like you must play a role to sensitise the public on the use EBM,” he told the students.

The EBM project coordinator, Emmy Mbera, said involving students was important because they can easily understand and help to explain to the public.

 He reminded students that they were  also tax payers.

"We are awakening students to know the use of EBM invoices because they live in communities where daily business transactions take place. You must realise that when you buy anything, you add taxes to the net price of the commodity,” he noted.

Isaac Sindayigaya, a second-year student at ULK, said he had scanty knowledge about the use of EBM and had always not bothered to ask for an invoice whenever he bought something.

He, however, said the awareness campaign had enlightened him to sensitise tax payers in his area.

 "I will no longer forget to ask for an invoice; from now I will be sensitising both buyers and traders on the use of EBM,” he said.

Mbera noted that the campaign was expected to be extended to other universities.