Zimbabwe revenue agency deploys drones at borders

from MARCUS MUSHONGA in Harare, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Bureau
HARARE, (CAJ News) – THE Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) is investing in modern technology, including drones, to enhance revenue collection and curb leakages, particularly at border posts.

A government official has disclosed this in the capital Harare at the just-concluded seventh annual general meeting of the tax collection agency.

The investments are under the ZIMRA five-year plan, covering the period 2021-25.

David Mnangagwa, the Deputy Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, said in line with the government’s thrust of improving service delivery and the ease of doing business, ZIMRA had made significant progress in implementing various strategic projects like the Fiscalised Device Management System (FDMS), Zimbabwe Electronic Single Window (ZeSW), the Contact Centre and the Command and
Surveillance Centre.

“ZIMRA is also investing in cutting-edge technology, such as scanners and drones, to improve border control and cargo monitoring, helping to detect and prevent the smuggling of goods and other undesirable products as part of protecting the civil society,” Mnangagwa added.

He said these strategic technological projects are testament of ZIMRA’s efforts to modernize its operations, enhance taxpayer customer experience, and strengthen its revenue collection capabilities.

Apart from technology related milestones, Mnangagwa said, the government continued to support infrastructure development at border posts.

“The recent refurbishment work at Beitbridge as well as the staff quarters in the same area are good examples of our development agenda,” he said.

Beitbridge, bordering South Africa, is the busiest border in Sub-Saharan Africa.

There are a lot of illicit activities there, including smuggling, which denies both governments some revenue.

– CAJ News