Revealed: 39 percent of Tanzanians do not want to pay tax

Dar es Salaam.  Despite the tax education provided to the public, 39 percent of Tanzanians don’t want to pay taxes because they believe the rates are high and a burden for them, a new Twaweza survey shows.

The report also found that many citizens are not aware of how 42 percent of the tax is spent comparing to 38 percent who are aware of the tax expenditure.

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Unveiling the report dubbed 'Uchumi na Tozo' (Economy and Levies report) Twaweza Executive Director Aidan Eyakuze said the report is based on data collected from citizens.

He said 20 percent of Tanzanians say they are paid low salaries while 15 percent feel that taxes are not used properly.

"Nine percent is a general culture of tax evasion, six percent see that the punishment is not enough, five percent see that there is a small possibility of being caught and eight percent do not know," Mr Eyakuze told reporters in Dar es Salaam on Thursday.

The findings further reveal that the most mentioned projects are education at 26 percent, health services at 25 percent and road infrastructure at 21 percent.
Furthermore, the reports reveal 56 percent of Tanzanians when asked in November 2021, said the cost of living has risen when and when asked in July 22, 48 percent said the same thing.