Uranium Mkuju: Serikali imetoa leseni bila kujali madai ya Kodi

Zitto Kabwe said:

Mheshimiwa Naibu Spika, naomba kutoa taarifa kwa mujibu wa Kanuni ya 68 (8). Sikupenda kusimama wakati maswali yanaendelea ili kutokuondoa flow ya maswali, Wakati swali Na. 353 linajibiwa la Mheshimiwa Ali Khamis Seif la Wizara ya Nishati na Madini, pamoja na swali la nyongeza kuhusiana na mradi wa Uranium wa Mkuju River Project, ambapo alitaka kufahamu kwamba Serikali imefaidika namna gani na mabadiliko ya umiliki.

Mheshimiwa Naibu Spika, nasikitika kwamba swali hilo halikujibiwa inavyopaswa, kwa sababu mwaka jana kampuni ya Mantra Resources ya Australia iliuza mradi huu, kampuni nzima asilimia 100, kwenda kwa kampuni ya Russia ya (ARZM) kwa thamani ya dola za kimarekani milioni mia tisa na themanini (USD980m). Baada ya mauzo hayo, mamlaka ya mapato Tanzania TRA walihitaji walipwe Capital Gains Tax ya asilimia 20, ambayo ni sawa sawa na shilingi milioni mia moja themanini na sita (USD 186m).

Mheshimiwa Naibu Spika, mpaka sasa pesa hizi hazijalipwa, na Serikali inafanya mazungumzo na kampuni hii, na si kweli kwamba kampuni ya UraniumOne, ni tofauti na hiyo kampuni ya Urusi. Kampuni ya UraniumOne ni sehemu ya Subsidiary ya hiyo kampuni ya Urusi, inamilikiwa na hiyo kampuni ya Urusi. Kwa hiyo palitokea mabadiliko ya ownership katika mradi huu, Serikali inapaswa kuhakikisha kabla Special Mining License haijatolewa kwa ajili ya mradi wa Mkuju River Project wa Uranium, Serikali ipate dola milioni 186 zacapital gains ambazo TRA mpaka sasa wanazidai. Tutasikitika sana iwapo Special Mining License itatolewa kabla ya tax compliance. Kwa sababu Tax Compliance ni lazima iwe ni sharti muhimu sana kwa miradi ambayo inaendelea.

Mheshimiwa Naibu Spika, tusiridhike na mafanikio tutakayokuja kuyapata, kwa sababu kwenye dhahabu tuliambiwa hivyo hivyo kwamba tutapata ajira, tutapata mrahaba, tutapata FDI lakini matokeo yake ni kwamba mpaka leo wananchi bado wanalalamika.

Mheshimiwa Naibu Spika, naomba nitoe rai kwamba special mining licence Waziri wa Nishati na Madini, asiitoe mpaka fedha zetu dola milioni mia moja themanini na sita za capital gains tax ambazo TRA wanawadai hawa watu wa Uranium zimelipwa, vinginevyo Serikali itakuwa imeshindwa kutetea na kulinda rasilimali za nchi yetu inavyotakiwa.

Mheshimiwa Naibu Spika, nilikuwa naomba kutoa taarifa hiyo na Waziri aweze kuifanyia kazi.

Mheshimiwa Naibu Spika, nakushukuru sana.

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Tanzania risks losing about Sh320 billion in mining taxes because of weak legal checks, particularly when it comes to uranium.

Local mining experts said yesterday that the country must go back to the drawing board and put in place a watertight policy and regulations before it allows uranium mining.

Earnings from the mineral are believed to have the potential to turn around the lives of thousands of poor Tanzanians. The chief concern right now, though, is that some subsidiaries of multinational firms licensed to explore uranium in Tanzania are capitalising on a weak legal and institutional framework to transfer ownership to affiliated companies. In the process, there are missed opportunities to collect revenue.


According to a renowned environmental lawyer, Dr Rugemeleza Nshala, the government could lose up to Sh320 billion in unpaid capital gain tax by the ARMZ holding company, which holds a prospecting licence for the Mkunju River uranium project.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting organised by the Policy Forum, he cited the example of Mantra Resources-which reportedly changed hands in a span of three years from two connected companies, ARMZ of Russia and Uranium One.

"In short, the transfer of Mantra Resources Limited to ARMZ enables its former shareholders to pocket $1.04billion without paying capital gains to the Tanzanian government," said Mr Nshala.

ARMZ of Russia owns 79.49 per cent of Mantra Resources. According to the expert, under section 36 (1) of the Income Tax Act, Mantra Resources Limited of Australia was supposed to have paid capital gains tax to Tanzania.

The Tanzania Revenue Authority issued a series of demand notices to ARMZ seeking $200 million in capital gains tax and stamp duty, Dr Nshala said.

ARMZ has disputed the tax demand and currently has a case pending at the Tax Revenue Appeal Board (TRAB).

According to Dr Nshala, after complete sale of the Mantra Resources uranium to its affiliated companies-ARMZ and Uranium One-the company will earn about $250 million annually but will pay just $5 million in taxes, royalties, fees and workers' Pay as You Earn.

"This is a very miniscule amount that cannot warrant exploitation of such environmentally harmful minerals," said Dr Nshala.

But the minister for Energy and Minerals, Prof Sospeter Muhongo, said his ministry was aware of the concerns but steps have been taken to ensure the country does not lose out on uranium extraction. He added: "I know that so many experts claiming to be competent in the area of uranium and gas will be emerging everyday at this time. I think some of them are just there to create confusion in this sensitive area."

Declining to comment further, he said: "I find it difficult to comment on second hand information. You can bring your source with you and address your concerns."

In the meantime, Dr Nshala insists that Tanzania stands to gain nothing from the eventual purchase of Mantra Resource Limited by Uranium One from ARMZ in June next year since the two companies are affiliated.

This arises from a loophole in the Mining Act 2010, which legally keeps the commissioner for minerals and the minister out of any transaction involving transfer of ownership or price between affiliated companies.

"In June 2013, Uranium One will not need to seek and obtain consent from the Commissioner for Minerals or the minister because it is a company that is directly controlled by ARMZ," said Dr Nshala.

"The principle is that the country with minerals has to receive a large share from mining activities, otherwise it should not allow the activities to take place," pointed out Dr Nshala.

The director of nuclear technology at the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Mwijarubi Nyaruba, said the country has a strong legal framework to manage uranium mining, citing the Mining Act of 2010 and Atomic Energy Act of 2003, but acknowledged that more needed to be done. "The country has yet to set mechanisms to enforce them effectively and clear some of the overriding issues between the two Acts," said Dr Nyaruba.

Tanzania will have to work on issues such as how to control dusts, monitor people and ensure self-storage of the processed uranium. It will also have to work on proper waste management and record keeping for future use.

Dr Nyaruba is concerned that some stakeholders have been left out and that no clear roles have been assigned to stakeholders.

Tanzania needs clear standards and procedures to be taken in the implementation of the uranium mining and also establish accredited laboratories, he added.

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Zitto said:

Nimeandika barua Kwa Spika wa Bunge kutaka Waziri wa Nishati na Madini kutoa maelezo Bungeni kuhusu uamuzi wake wa kuwapa leseni kubwa ya kuchimba #Uranium huko wilayani Namtumbo.

Mnamo tarehe 10 Agosti 2012 Waziri alitamka ndani ya Bunge "sisi tunajua zaidi ya anavyojua yeye, Leseni haijatolewa na haitatolewa mpaka Kampuni ya #MantraResources ilipe kodi". Kodi ya ongezeko la mtaji (capital gains tax) ya $189m kufuatia mauzo ya mradi wa #MkujuRiverProject kutoka kampuni ya Mantra kwenda kampuni ya AMRZ ya Urusi iligomewa kulipwa.

#TRA wamepeleka shauri hilo mahakama ya kodi na mpaka sasa maamuzi hayajatolewa. Kwa mujibu wa mabadiliko ya Sheria ya mwaka 2012, kabla ya Waziri mwenye dhamana ya madini kubariki mauzo ya kampuni, anapaswa kupata Kibali Cha kwamba kodi zote stahili zimelipwa. Kibali Kwa kampuni ya mantra kilitolewa bila kujali hitaji la kisheria na sasa kampuni hii imepewa leseni.

Maamuzi haya ya Waziri wa Nishati na Madini yanalikosesha Taifa mapato ya zaidi ya tshs 300bn ambazo zingeweza kumaliza tatizo la nyumba za walimu nchi nzima na kulipia madai yote ya walimu. Fedha hizi zingeweza kujenga barabara ya lami kutoka Manyoni mpaka Itigi.

Fedha zingeweza kukarabati reli ya Kati na kuirejesha katika ubora wa unaotakiwa. Kwa mujibu wa kanuni za Bunge nimetaka Waziri atoe maelezo bungeni na wabunge wajadili. Ni dhahiri kwamba serikali inayoongozwa na CCM imeamua kumaliza utajiri wote wa nchi na kuugawa Kwa wageni Kwa bei ya Che.

Wananchi Ni lazima kusimama imara kukataa uporaji huu na maamuzi haya ya kiburi Cha kudharau Bunge yaliyoyafanywa na Serikali.

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Mwali said:

And this was done in complete disregard of parliamentary directives.

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NewOrder said:

It will always be difficult to associate forces behind deals like this with things other than corruption!! In Tanzania, rights to sign big deals are in the hands of selected and decreet few. A typical example is the signing of big 17 contracts with China resently. This could translate to 17 big problems in our country just a few years down the line!!

I am of the opinion that the Parliament have a "Contracts Committee" but this will fall on deaf ears!! What these few people are doing is detrimental to the beloved nation. And when it collapses on its knees, it will take forever to get it back on its feet.

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Taz said:

Toka facebook page ya
Zitto Kabwe

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Kongosho said:

Directive zipi??

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Uranium One president Vadim Zhivov described the award of the licence as a "real breakthrough" after two years of work to secure the necessary approvals in accordance with new Tanzanian mining legislation.

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Mwali said:

Parliamentary directives ndio hizo kwamba leseni haitakiwi kusainiwa hadi pale wanapo lipa kodi wanazo daiwa.

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Kongosho said:

Hivi bunge wanaweza tengua sheria bila kuirekebisha?

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