EASTERN PROVINCE

RWAMAGANA—To supplement on the normal drills usually extended by their trainers, officials from Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) have lectured taxation to police officers undergoing training at Gishari police training camp.

"The role of police in sustaining the development of the country remains paramount; we have been teaching these police trainees the importance of taxation in the development of the nation,” Evariste Ntaganda, RRA Regional Coordinator said, shortly after delivering a lecture on the importance of taxation in the development of the country to police trainees at Gishari recently.

He said it is the duty of police to check tax evaders and smugglers in order to participate in the development of the nation by mastering taxation system and laws.

"We have been teaching them on this cause and by the time they finish the training they should be fully equipped with knowledge,” Ntaganda noted.

During his lecture he reminded the trainees of the four major taxes in Rwanda including: road license taxes paid by road users; patente taxes levied by districts for development purposes; Pay As You Earn (PAYE) levied on every salaried employee, and profit tax paid by businessmen according to one’s accumulated profits.

He reminded police trainees that the deadline for tax collection is always March 30 every year, but cautioned them not to start manning road-blocks immediately, saying the date for them to swing in action is always fixed by concerned authorities.

He also reminded the trainees about fines that accompany delay in paying taxes. He said fines for road license include multiplying the original amount twice, while penalties for delayed payments of other taxes includes 10 % increment of the original amount.

Ntaganda further taught police trainees about number plates including the Rwandan number plates, the number plates for temporary visitors normally with acronym (IT) and the diplomatic number plates with acronym CD.

Without going into details, he said each number plate has a specific fee it is supposed to pay. Gerald Makuba, RRA director of taxpayer services, told police trainees not to compromise with tax defaulters, saying that taxes are a major source of government revenue to finance the national budget.

He said without taxes there would not be development and or security. Officials at Gishari police training camp explained that the course has been on since August 2006 and is slated to end late this year.  

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