Zitto faults proposed amendments to Cashewnuts Act

Kigoma Urban MP (Act-Wazalendo) Zitto Kabwe

What you need to know:

Currently, 65 per cent of the export levy is supposed to be channeled to the cashew nut board and 35 per cent to the main Treasury fund.


Dar es Salaam. Kigoma Urban MP (Act-Wazalendo) Zitto Kabwe has faulted the government’s proposals to amend the Cashewnuts Industry Act as suggested in the Finance Bill of 2018.

The bill will be tabled at the end of the House Budget sessions. It was gazetted on June 12.

The outspoken lawmaker, who is also Act-Wazalendo party leader, said the changes if enacted would deny farmers funds to implement development projects since the money will go into the consolidated fund.

Currently, 65 per cent of the export levy is supposed to be channeled to the cashew nut board and 35 per cent to the main Treasury fund.

“The changes will see the entire amount transferred to the main Treasury fund and be spent on other expenditures, hence it will not benefit cashewnut growers,” he said in his statement.

He explained that for two years consecutively, the government did not released 65 per cent of the cashew nuts export levy, which was due to the Cashewnut Board of Tanzania to support farmers with pesticides.

“This is unacceptable and ACT-Wazalendo will join hands with the opposition camp in Parliament as well as some CCM lawmakers with the same vision, to fight against the proposed amendments,” he added.