Burundi : Taxpayer’s day, the Finance minister torches OBR agents

The taxpayer’s day was celebrated in the commercial capital Bujumbura for the 9th time. It was on Tuesday, December 3. Despite some challenges in revenue collection, the Commissioner General of the Burundi Revenue Authority (OBR) said he was satisfied with the achievements. But the Minister of Finance accuses his agents of failures, behaviors that lead to an economic deficit.

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In the ceremony that took place in the commercial city of Bujumbura, the OBR General Commissioner congratulated himself.

“During the 2023-2024 budget year (July 2023-June 2024), we collected an amount of up to 101% of the expected revenue. We owe all these successes to the taxpayers and our superiors who continue to encourage us, in particular the President of the Republic,” announced the Commissioner General of the OBR. Jean Claude Manirakiza indicates, however, that his institution is facing difficulties that prevent it from carrying out its mission properly. He cites, among other things, the behavior of certain agents who engage in corruption, the global economic situation, the shortage of fuel and foreign currency. According to him, all these reasons explain the taxpayers’ work at a loss over the past four months. But he remains confident that the objective of reaching more than 2000 billion this year will be achieved because the OBR has already managed to collect more than 1980 billion during the past budget year. For his part, the president of the Federal Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Burundi (CFCIB) calls on various state sectors to facilitate the work of economic operators because they are the first taxpayers.

“They have a great contribution in the payment of taxes and duties so that the country can achieve its vision. To achieve this, it needs to be supported and encouraged”, underlines Olivier Suguru.

The Minister of Finance Audace Niyonzima, finds that the country is still far from talking about large-scale development because the industries are still at an embryonic stage.

“No fuel industries for example or others that export their products. There are many entries but we do not see any exits. Unfortunately, we will not have these taxes that we expect”, regrets Minister Niyonzima. He warned “the corrupt agents of the OBR”.

Not a week ago, the Minister of Finance had discussed with the OBR staff the strategies to increase revenue. He announced that the expected revenues for the first quarter of the current financial year will not be achieved and that there is rather a gap of more than 110 billion on the expected revenues.

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A building of the Burundian Revenue Office, OBR