ZIMRA Moves to Digitise Revenue Collection Systems

ZIMRA Commissioner General Regina Chinamasa

Rutendo Mazhindu - ZimNow Reporter

Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) embarked on a digitalisation programme aimed at modernising domestic revenue collection systems, as the country intensifies efforts to strengthen internal revenue streams under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).

The plan was announced during ZIMRA’s eighth Annual General Meeting held in Harare, where the tax authority outlined its commitment to enhancing efficiency, accountability and transparency in public finance administration.

ZIMRA Commissioner General Regina Chinamasa said digitalisation was now a necessity rather than a futuristic option.

“Technology is no longer aspirational. It is a strategic imperative if we are to meaningfully broaden our revenue base,” Chinamasa said.

“We must ensure that more firms, informal players, and individuals are effectively captured in the tax net, and this can no longer be done using outdated manual systems.”

She added that the move would improve transaction monitoring, raise voluntary compliance, and reduce leakages and corruption.

“Digitalisation will allow us to monitor economic activity in real time and curb revenue losses. We are investing in systems that make it easier for taxpayers to comply while positioning ZIMRA as a modern institution capable of supporting a growing and dynamic economy,” said Chinamasa.

ZIMRA has exceeded its revenue targets in recent years, and authorities believe the adoption of digital platforms will consolidate these gains.

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development, Honourable Energy Mutodi, said domestic resource mobilisation was crucial for Zimbabwe’s development.

“We must depend more on what we can generate ourselves. This is not just about collecting more taxes. It is about creating a transparent and efficient system that can support infrastructure, health, education and economic transformation,” Mutodi said.

He urged government departments and state agencies to support the full implementation of ZIMRA’s digital roadmap.

“With donor support becoming increasingly uncertain, Zimbabwe must shift towards financial self reliance, and the digitalisation of tax systems is a major step in that direction,” he added.

ZIMRA’s digital strategy is expected to ease the administrative burden for small businesses and promote formalisation by offering a user friendly tax interface.

The initiative is also expected to enhance public confidence in fiscal institutions.

Chinamasa said the authority was also focused on strengthening stakeholder engagement and service delivery.

“Our aim is to build a tax system that the public can trust. If citizens trust that the system is fair, transparent and efficient, they are more likely to comply voluntarily,” she said.

The digitalisation programme forms part of broader reforms aimed at achieving Vision 2030, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy.