VAT saga: Dar port losing out to Mombasa

[MK254]

The Tanzanian government, concerned by the decline in cargo volumes at the Dar es Salaam port, is planning a stakeholders meeting to come up with ways to increase business.

Tanzania Ports Authority Director General Deusdedit Kakoko said cargo traffic at the port declined by 800,000 tonnes between the 2014/15 and 2015/16 financial years.

The Parliamentary Committee for Industry, Trade and Environment is planning a stakeholders meeting that will include Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, officials from the Tanzania Revenue Authority, port authorities, ship owners, transporters and major clients in the region.

The president of the Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association, Stephen Ngatunga, is optimistic that “the meeting will bear fruit.”

At the centre of the debate is whether the 18 per cent value added tax charged on auxiliary services attached to in-transit goods since July 1, 2016 has led to the loss of clients from Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Finance Minister Philip Mpango said the VAT is not an issue, but technocrats in government institutions that deal with cargo have differed with him.

Mr Mpango said VAT is levied only on auxiliary services on the process between cargo arrival at the port and its evacuation, and not on the goods themselves.

An agent of a Dubai-based shipper, which used to bring in 10,000 vehicles per month, said the number of cars offloaded at Dar port by their ships is now 3,000 per month. He said they have diverted their cargo to Mombasa port, which they find more affordable.

“Our single major cost at Dar port was the usual stevedoring charge of about $500,000 per month for the 10,000 trucks offloaded. Today, each of these trucks is charged 18 per cent VAT on top of the stevedoring charge. This cost is not recoverable,” he said.

VAT payment

In principle, VAT should be shouldered by the final consumer, who may be in Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi, Uganda or the DRC. Recovery of VAT takes place after the payment has been made in the said countries and not before.

Shippers say that what matters is the fact that the VAT charged constitutes a major overhead, enough to make any ship owner think twice before choosing the Dar port.

Dr Mpango argues that since the VAT only came into force in July, it cannot be blamed for the decline in cargo volumes.


Tanzania government steps in as cargo volumes fall at Dar port

 

[Barbarosa]

The Tanzanian government, concerned by the decline in cargo volumes at the Dar es Salaam port, is planning a stakeholders meeting to come up with ways to increase business.

Tanzania Ports Authority Director General Deusdedit Kakoko said cargo traffic at the port declined by 800,000 tonnes between the 2014/15 and 2015/16 financial years.

The Parliamentary Committee for Industry, Trade and Environment is planning a stakeholders meeting that will include Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, officials from the Tanzania Revenue Authority, port authorities, ship owners, transporters and major clients in the region.

The president of the Tanzania Freight Forwarders Association, Stephen Ngatunga, is optimistic that “the meeting will bear fruit.”

At the centre of the debate is whether the 18 per cent value added tax charged on auxiliary services attached to in-transit goods since July 1, 2016 has led to the loss of clients from Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Finance Minister Philip Mpango said the VAT is not an issue, but technocrats in government institutions that deal with cargo have differed with him.

Mr Mpango said VAT is levied only on auxiliary services on the process between cargo arrival at the port and its evacuation, and not on the goods themselves.

An agent of a Dubai-based shipper, which used to bring in 10,000 vehicles per month, said the number of cars offloaded at Dar port by their ships is now 3,000 per month. He said they have diverted their cargo to Mombasa port, which they find more affordable.

“Our single major cost at Dar port was the usual stevedoring charge of about $500,000 per month for the 10,000 trucks offloaded. Today, each of these trucks is charged 18 per cent VAT on top of the stevedoring charge. This cost is not recoverable,” he said.

VAT payment

In principle, VAT should be shouldered by the final consumer, who may be in Zambia, Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi, Uganda or the DRC. Recovery of VAT takes place after the payment has been made in the said countries and not before.

Shippers say that what matters is the fact that the VAT charged constitutes a major overhead, enough to make any ship owner think twice before choosing the Dar port.

Dr Mpango argues that since the VAT only came into force in July, it cannot be blamed for the decline in cargo volumes.


Tanzania government steps in as cargo volumes fall at Dar port

Ni ngumu sana kuamini hii Habari hasa ukiangalia anayeongelea ni importer wa Magari anyway kitu ambacho binafsi kinanitatiza na nimeshindwa kukielewa maisha yangu yote ni hili la Ushindani kati ya Bandari ya Dar na Mombasa, hapa nashindwa kuelewa huu ushindani unatokea wapi?

Hizi Bandari zote mbili zilijengwa na Wakoloni kwa malengo ya kuhudumia maeneo yaliyopakana nayo kijiografia, kwa mfano Bandari ya Mombasa Waingereza waliijenga kwa ajili ya kuhudumia Uganda, na eneo lote la North Kenya, Bandari yetu ya Dar ilijengwa na Wajerumani kwa lengo la kuhudumia hinter land ya Tanzania hasa maeneo ya Magharibi na Kusini mwa Tanzania!

Hivyo nashindwa kuelewa mtu anaposema wateja wanaondoka Bandari ya Dar na kwenda Mombasa kwa sababu ya gharama, hii hainingii akilini kwani chukulia mfano Zambia au Malawi kama anakimbia Bandari ya Dar kwenda Mombasa kwa sababu ya VAT anawezaje kuikwepa Tanzania ktk Mombasa kufika Malawi au Zambia? Au mteja wa Kongo anawezaje kuikwepa Tanzania kutokea Mombasa kwa ajili tu ya 18% VAT? Kuna mtu anaweza kunielewesha hapa?
Ni kama vile mtu aseme Sudani Kusini wanasafirisha mizigo kutumia Bandari ya Dar kuikwepa Mombasa haingii akilini kwangu!

 

[kancarl]

wanaenda kutoa VAT kmya kimya

 

[nomasana]

T

wanaenda kutoa VAT kmya kimya

Tanzania cannot afford to eradicate that VAT they desperately need it but they can reduce it

 

[kwelko]

Ni ngumu sana kuamini hii Habari hasa ukiangalia anayeongelea ni importer wa Magari anyway kitu ambacho binafsi kinanitatiza na nimeshindwa kukielewa maisha yangu yote ni hili la Ushindani kati ya Bandari ya Dar na Mombasa, hapa nashindwa kuelewa huu ushindani unatokea wapi?

Hizi Bandari zote mbili zilijengwa na Wakoloni kwa malengo ya kuhudumia maeneo yaliyopakana nayo kijiografia, kwa mfano Bandari ya Mombasa Waingereza waliijenga kwa ajili ya kuhudumia Uganda, na eneo lote la North Kenya, Bandari yetu ya Dar ilijengwa na Wajerumani kwa lengo la kuhudumia hinter land ya Tanzania hasa maeneo ya Magharibi na Kusini mwa Tanzania!

Hivyo nashindwa kuelewa mtu anaposema wateja wanaondoka Bandari ya Dar na kwenda Mombasa kwa sababu ya gharama, hii hainingii akilini kwani chukulia mfano Zambia au Malawi kama anakimbia Bandari ya Dar kwenda Mombasa kwa sababu ya VAT anawezaje kuikwepa Tanzania ktk Mombasa kufika Malawi au Zambia? Au mteja wa Kongo anawezaje kuikwepa Tanzania kutokea Mombasa kwa ajili tu ya 18% VAT? Kuna mtu anaweza kunielewesha hapa?
Ni kama vile mtu aseme Sudani Kusini wanasafirisha mizigo kutumia Bandari ya Dar kuikwepa Mombasa haingii akilini kwangu!

True, i agree. It doesn't make much sense. There definitely must be a cost of passing through a given country's borders in transit. That cost cannot be less than the 18% VAT. It doesn't add up.

 

[kipira]

Ni ngumu sana kuamini hii Habari hasa ukiangalia anayeongelea ni importer wa Magari anyway kitu ambacho binafsi kinanitatiza na nimeshindwa kukielewa maisha yangu yote ni hili la Ushindani kati ya Bandari ya Dar na Mombasa, hapa nashindwa kuelewa huu ushindani unatokea wapi?

Hizi Bandari zote mbili zilijengwa na Wakoloni kwa malengo ya kuhudumia maeneo yaliyopakana nayo kijiografia, kwa mfano Bandari ya Mombasa Waingereza waliijenga kwa ajili ya kuhudumia Uganda, na eneo lote la North Kenya, Bandari yetu ya Dar ilijengwa na Wajerumani kwa lengo la kuhudumia hinter land ya Tanzania hasa maeneo ya Magharibi na Kusini mwa Tanzania!

Hivyo nashindwa kuelewa mtu anaposema wateja wanaondoka Bandari ya Dar na kwenda Mombasa kwa sababu ya gharama, hii hainingii akilini kwani chukulia mfano Zambia au Malawi kama anakimbia Bandari ya Dar kwenda Mombasa kwa sababu ya VAT anawezaje kuikwepa Tanzania ktk Mombasa kufika Malawi au Zambia? Au mteja wa Kongo anawezaje kuikwepa Tanzania kutokea Mombasa kwa ajili tu ya 18% VAT? Kuna mtu anaweza kunielewesha hapa?
Ni kama vile mtu aseme Sudani Kusini wanasafirisha mizigo kutumia Bandari ya Dar kuikwepa Mombasa haingii akilini kwangu!

Ukipitishia Msumbiji ndugu tayari Tz inakuwa eliminated from the equation

 

[Barbarosa]

Ukipitishia Msumbiji ndugu tayari Tz inakuwa eliminated from the equation

Msumbiji inatokea wapi hapa? Mada inahusu Bandari ya Mombasa, hata Bandari ya Beira yenyewe bado hailipi kwa mteja wa Kongo, Rwanda Burundi aua Malawi lkn hiyo ni mada nyingine!

 

[MAGALEMWA]

Msumbiji inatokea wapi hapa? Mada inahusu Bandari ya Mombasa, hata Bandari ya Beira yenyewe bado hailipi kwa mteja wa Kongo, Rwanda Burundi aua Malawi lkn hiyo ni mada nyingine!

Mkuu kwa taarifa yako Malawi tayari wamepanua ziwa nyasa na mizigo yao inapitia Beira badala ya Dar.

It doesn't add up to you kwa sababu haikuhusu wala hujali. Fikiria gari uliyokuwa unanunua kwa dola 2000 bandari unalipia kodi dola 1300 sasa unalipia dola 1800. Wewe ni mnunuzi wa mwisho utakuwa mpumbavu kama hutatumia fursa ya kupitia Mombasa kuokoa dola 600.

Anaeamua kupitisha mzigo wake bandari fulani ni mteja wa mwisho ambae mwisho wa siku suala la gharama nafuu linamhusu.

Huyu mteja awe Congo Zambia Uganda suala la gharama ni kigezo cha kwanza cha kufikiria.

 

[Barbarosa]

Mkuu kwa taarifa yako Malawi tayari wamepanua ziwa nyasa na mizigo yao inapitia Beira badala ya Dar.

It doesn't add up to you kwa sababu haikuhusu wala hujali. Fikiria gari uliyokuwa unanunua kwa dola 2000 bandari unalipia kodi dola 1300 sasa unalipia dola 1800. Wewe ni mnunuzi wa mwisho utakuwa ******** kama hutatumia fursa ya kupitia Mombasa kuokoa dola 600.

Anaeamua kupitisha mzigo wake bandari fulani ni mteja wa mwisho ambae mwisho wa siku suala la gharama nafuu linamhusu.

Huyu mteja awe Congo Zambia Uganda suala la gharama ni kigezo cha kwanza cha kufikiria.

Bandari yetu haijajengwa kwa ajili ya kusafirisha mzigo moja mmoja bali imejengwa kwa ajili ya bulk cargo hivyo kama wewe unataka kuingiza gari moja moja na unaona bei yetu ni kubwa unaweza kwenda kuitolea Beira au Mombasa kama hilo litakupa unafuu, lkn Kiuchumi Bandari ya Mombasa haiwezi kuchukuwa wateja wa Bandari ya Dar kwa sababu tu ongezeko la 18% VAT, kwani gharama atakayo tumia ktk Mombasa mpaka afike Kongo, Malawi au Zambia itazidi hiyo 18% na isitoshe atapitia wapi? Kwa maa akifika Boda yetu hawezi kupita bila ya kutupatia 18% yetu!

 

[Kituko]

Ni ngumu sana kuamini hii Habari hasa ukiangalia anayeongelea ni importer wa Magari anyway kitu ambacho binafsi kinanitatiza na nimeshindwa kukielewa maisha yangu yote ni hili la Ushindani kati ya Bandari ya Dar na Mombasa, hapa nashindwa kuelewa huu ushindani unatokea wapi?

Hizi Bandari zote mbili zilijengwa na Wakoloni kwa malengo ya kuhudumia maeneo yaliyopakana nayo kijiografia, kwa mfano Bandari ya Mombasa Waingereza waliijenga kwa ajili ya kuhudumia Uganda, na eneo lote la North Kenya, Bandari yetu ya Dar ilijengwa na Wajerumani kwa lengo la kuhudumia hinter land ya Tanzania hasa maeneo ya Magharibi na Kusini mwa Tanzania!

Hivyo nashindwa kuelewa mtu anaposema wateja wanaondoka Bandari ya Dar na kwenda Mombasa kwa sababu ya gharama, hii hainingii akilini kwani chukulia mfano Zambia au Malawi kama anakimbia Bandari ya Dar kwenda Mombasa kwa sababu ya VAT anawezaje kuikwepa Tanzania ktk Mombasa kufika Malawi au Zambia? Au mteja wa Kongo anawezaje kuikwepa Tanzania kutokea Mombasa kwa ajili tu ya 18% VAT? Kuna mtu anaweza kunielewesha hapa?
Ni kama vile mtu aseme Sudani Kusini wanasafirisha mizigo kutumia Bandari ya Dar kuikwepa Mombasa haingii akilini kwangu!

Kaka hizi habari sio za Kupuuza, hivi unataarifa kuwa nguo zote zinazouzwa Kariakoo kwa sasa zinatoka Mombasa?
Muwe mnakaa kwenye computer mkibisha mambo na pia muwe mnaingia mtaani na kuona uhalisia, wafanya biashara wa Kariakoo walikuwa wanaenda kuchukua/Kufunga mzigo China na ndani ya Wiki mzigo uko Bongo, kwa sasa Mzigo kutoka China unafika Tanzania baada ya miezi Miwili mpaka mitatu,
Kwa mfanyabiashara hawezi kusubiri muda wote huo kwani kila mwezi analipa Pango, Usafi, Ulinzi nk

So Kariakoo nzima Mzigo unatoka Kenya, we bisha lakini nakwambia hili nikiwa na uhakika wa 100%

 

[Barbarosa]

Kaka hizi habari sio za Kupuuza, hivi unataarifa kuwa nguo zote zinazouzwa Kariakoo kwa sasa zinatoka Mombasa?
Muwe mnakaa kwenye computer mkibisha mambo na pia muwe mnaingia mtaani na kuona uhalisia, wafanya biashara wa Kariakoo walikuwa wanaenda kuchukua/Kufunga mzigo China na ndani ya Wiki mzigo uko Bongo, kwa sasa Mzigo kutoka China unafika Tanzania baada ya miezi Miwili mpaka mitatu,
Kwa mfanyabiashara hawezi kusubiri muda wote huo kwani kila mwezi analipa Pango, Usafi, Ulinzi nk

So Kariakoo nzima Mzigo unatoka Kenya, we bisha lakini nakwambia hili nikiwa na uhakika wa 100%

Nimekwishaandika hapo juu kwamba, Bandari yetu haikujengwa kwa ajili ya wachuuzi wanaoenda Guangzhou, Uchina kununua dela na kuja kuuza Kariakoo, bali imejengwa ajili ya Bulkcargo, yaani mzigo wa matani kama sShaba ya Zambia, Dhahabu yetu, Minerals kutoka Rwanda na Kongo hiyo ndiyo mizigo ya kuongelea na siyo sijui Mfanyabiashara wa nguo Kitumbini hao waache waende tu Mombasa na isitoshe wakifika Boda yetu fedha yetu ni lazima watupe vinginevyo hawapiti!

 

[NgugiAchebe]

Naona kama movie vile kwa sababu MTU anakaa anamua kuandika ili kuitisha serkali ya Magu hahahahahh. Magu hatishiwi nyau ndugu

 

[machoalbi]

Kaka hizi habari sio za Kupuuza, hivi unataarifa kuwa nguo zote zinazouzwa Kariakoo kwa sasa zinatoka Mombasa?
Muwe mnakaa kwenye computer mkibisha mambo na pia muwe mnaingia mtaani na kuona uhalisia, wafanya biashara wa Kariakoo walikuwa wanaenda kuchukua/Kufunga mzigo China na ndani ya Wiki mzigo uko Bongo, kwa sasa Mzigo kutoka China unafika Tanzania baada ya miezi Miwili mpaka mitatu,
Kwa mfanyabiashara hawezi kusubiri muda wote huo kwani kila mwezi analipa Pango, Usafi, Ulinzi nk

So Kariakoo nzima Mzigo unatoka Kenya, we bisha lakini nakwambia hili nikiwa na uhakika wa 100%

Ni bora ukusanye 10% kutoka kwa watu 20 kuliko 18% kutoka kwa watu 5!

 

[donbeny]

Jaribuni kuelewa VAT inayozungumziwa hapa ni VAT in Auxiliary services at the port not VAT on transit goods.

 

[Kituko]

Si

Ni bora ukusanye 10% kutoka kwa watu 20 kuliko 18% kutoka kwa watu 5!

sijakuelewa una maanisha nini

 

[Dhuks]

Nimekwishaandika hapo juu kwamba, Bandari yetu haikujengwa kwa ajili ya wachuuzi wanaoenda Guangzhou, Uchina kununua dela na kuja kuuza Kariakoo, bali imejengwa ajili ya Bulkcargo, yaani mzigo wa matani kama sShaba ya Zambia, Dhahabu yetu, Minerals kutoka Rwanda na Kongo hiyo ndiyo mizigo ya kuongelea na siyo sijui Mfanyabiashara wa nguo Kitumbini hao waache waende tu Mombasa na isitoshe wakifika Boda yetu fedha yetu ni lazima watupe vinginevyo hawapiti!

Sitajibu kwa kiswahili maana kiswahili kwangu lugha ya tatu lazima utafsiri mara mbili. But i want to inquire from you, are you implying that you are comfortable when Dar positions itself as the port of choice for no one else but the bulk handlers? That would be travesty of justice to the citizens of the republic who cannot afford bulk shipments.

 

[Barbarosa]

Sitajibu kwa kiswahili maana kiswahili kwangu lugha ya tatu lazima utafsiri mara mbili. But i want to inquire from you, are you implying that you are comfortable when Dar positions itself as the port of choice for no one else but the bulk handlers? That would be travesty of justice to the citizens of the republic who cannot afford bulk shipments.

Hapana, Bandari yetu ipo wazi kwa kila mtu ambaye anafwata taratibu zilizowekwa ikiwa ni pamoja na kulipa kiwango stahiki kilichowekwa na Serikali yetu, kinachoniudhi na kunikera ni hili la watu kuja na vitisho vya kitoto hapa kwamba wanakwenda kupitishia mizigo yao Mombasa kwa sababu Bandari yetu ya Dar wanatakiwa walipe VAT, huu ni ujinga kwa maana hata kama wakienda Mombasa watafikishaje mizigo yao TZ bila kupitia border points zetu?

Na kila border point yetu ina customs ambapo kuna watu wa TRA pia, sasa sidhani kama watakuwa wameokoa kiasi kikubwa cha fedha kiasi hicho kama ukijumlisha na transport ya ktk Mombasa mpaka Dar au sehemu yoyote ile ya nchi yetu, vinginevyo labda kama wanataka kuniambia kwamba Bandari ya Mombasa hakuna kulipia kodi ya Serikali na Mizigo inapita free of charge , hapo sasa sina uelewa kwa maana siifahamu Bandari ya Mombasa!

 

[machoalbi]

Si

sijakuelewa una maanisha nini

Maana yangu hapo ni kwamba, Kama ukubwa wa kodi unakua kikwazo kwa wafanyabiashara kutumia bandari ya dar, basi serikali haina budi kupunguza kodi hiyo.....ndio maana ya kutumia mfano wa 18% Na 10%
Bora kuwa Na wateja wengi kwa kodi ndogo kuliko wachache kwa kodi kubwa

 

[Kituko]

Maana yangu hapo ni kwamba, Kama ukubwa wa kodi unakua kikwazo kwa wafanyabiashara kutumia bandari ya dar, basi serikali haina budi kupunguza kodi hiyo.....ndio maana ya kutumia mfano wa 18% Na 10%
Bora kuwa Na wateja wengi kwa kodi ndogo kuliko wachache kwa kodi kubwa

Nimekisoma kaka,