Suspension of 'Outboard Motor Control' Tax Imposed on Fishermen in Moba

Radio Okapi reports on a significant intervention by the administrator of Moba territory in the Tanganyika province, who has suspended an illegal tax levied on local fishermen. This "outboard motor control" tax, amounting to 50,000 Congolese francs, was reportedly being collected by agents of the National Intelligence Agency (ANR) from fishermen operating on the lake. The administrator's decision, made during a meeting with the fishermen, aims to alleviate the financial burden on this vital local industry.

The administrator explicitly declared the tax illegal and instructed the fishermen not to comply with any further demands for payment. He noted that the ANR official in Moba acknowledged collecting funds related to this tax, but only from individuals who had purchased new motors, not from the general fishing population as was being claimed. This clarification highlights a potential overreach and misuse of authority by the intelligence agency's local representatives.

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Nous avons invité le responsable de l’ANR/Moba, qui a reconnu avoir perçu de l’argent lié à cette taxe, mais uniquement auprès de personnes ayant acheté de nouvelles machines hors‑bord. Or, cela n’a pas été le cas. La taxe a été imposée aux pêcheurs au bord du lac. Je demande donc aux pêcheurs de ne pas payer cette taxe, qui n’est pas légale

Further corroboration of the tax's illegality came from Frédéric Kabunda, a provincial deputy elected from Moba. He emphasized that such a tax lacks any legal basis and that only authorized bodies, namely the DGRTANG at the provincial level and the DGRAD at the national level, are empowered to collect taxes. Kabunda also raised concerns about the 75,000 Congolese francs already collected from fishermen, questioning what had been done with the funds, to which the ANR official reportedly responded that the money had been spent.

This situation, from a Congolese perspective, underscores a recurring issue of illegal taxation and extortion faced by local communities and small businesses. The intervention by the territorial administrator and the provincial deputy is a positive step towards protecting citizens from such abuses. While Radio Okapi was unable to obtain a comment from the ANR official in Moba, the swift action taken by local authorities to address the fishermen's grievances is commendable. It highlights the importance of local governance in safeguarding citizens' rights and ensuring that only legitimate taxes are levied, thereby fostering a more stable economic environment for vulnerable populations like the fishermen of Moba.

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Nous sommes venus rencontrer l’administrateur du territoire, en tant qu’autorités budgétaires, pour lui faire savoir que cette taxe ne peut pas exister, car elle n’a aucun soubassement légal. Le seul service habilité à percevoir les taxes au niveau provincial est la DGRTANG, et au niveau national, la DGRAD. Nous avons demandé au responsable de l’ANR ce qu’il avait fait des 75 000 francs congolais déjà perçus auprès des pêcheurs qui s’étaient acquittés de cette taxe. Il nous a répondu qu’il avait dépensé cet argent