By Francis Chipalo
The BuyZed Campaign has urged government agencies to step up scrutiny of foreign traders and tax compliance, citing soaring shop rentals in Lusaka’s Central Business District that it says are pushing out local businesses.
BuyZed Campaign founder Ambassador Evans Kazonga Ng’oma said rentals along Freedomway, Chachacha Road, and Cairo Road had reached levels that make it hard for Zambian traders to compete.
“Local Zambian traders are struggling to compete with foreign nationals who are renting shops at exorbitant rates, with some paying up to $2,500 and more,” Ng’oma said.
“This is stifling local businesses and creating an uneven playing field,” he added.
Ng’oma called on the Zambia Revenue Authority to ensure businesses are paying the correct taxes and that the government collects its fair share of revenue.
Meanwhile, Ng’oma called on the Immigration Department to scrutinize trading permits issued to foreign nationals, suggesting permits should focus on sectors where locals cannot yet compete, such as capital-intensive manufacturing.
“And we call on the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency to verify the authenticity of imported goods and curb counterfeit products,” he added.
Ng’oma said the priority should be to create space for Zambian entrepreneurs to grow, while building capacity for locals to enter capital-intensive sectors over time.
“Zambians can develop Zambia, and we must make it happen,” he added.
