CESTRAR seeks tax exoneration for workers earning below 100.000 Frw
In order to celebrate the International Labor Day in Rwanda, on May 1, 2024, CESTRAR announced that although a lot has been done to take care of the welfare of workers, there are things that need to be improved, including wages the base has not yet been established, and the untaxed salary is still at a very low rate.
This issue has been confirmed by the General Secretary of the Rwandan Trade Unions Association, Biraboneye Africain says that the tax-free salary should be from 60 thousand Frw to at least 100 thousand Frw because the majority of young people are working in this category.
He said, “We are aiming this based on the large number of young people in the country, including people who work in shops, bars and restaurants, the money they receive may exceed 60,000 but not more than 100,000 Frw or less.”
One hand, Biraboneye Africain expressed that it is interesting that the tax-free salary went from 30 thousand Frw to less than 60 thousand Frw, but it should be studied how a person who is paid 100 thousand Frw should pay all of it.
“That’s why we ask that it continue and take another positive step, at least they start to cut the employee who is paid above 100 thousand Frw.”
On other hand, Biraboneye says that this issue is not the same as that of the basic salary, for many years people have been waiting for the decree of the minister to determine it as stipulated by the law regulating labor in Rwanda, but it has not been released yet.
The General Secretary of the Workers’ Syndicate of Hotels, Restaurants and Bars, Nyiratsinda Flora, said that the lack of basic wages makes the workers lives miserable.
He said, “Bar staff in particular are paid a pitiful amount. If the money is small, you get paid after a few days and then you start having problems and work without happiness and the fact that the prices in the market have gone up a lot.”
On the other hand, the General Secretary of the Union of Workers’ Unions, Biraboneye indicated that in the advocacy they would do, including requesting that the basic salary be set, so that it will not come to a time when the worker goes to work and will not be able to support himself.
He said, “We are asking that the issue of basic salary be reconsidered. A labor law that is about to expire or will be permanently changed determines the basic wage that has not yet been implemented. There is a problem because we are not complying with the provisions of the law.’’
“We are asking for it to improve the standard of living of the workers while we see that the prices in the markets continue to rise so that without the government’s protection the workers may find themselves unable to live and go to work every day.”
The labor law in Rwanda was enacted in 2018, but the decree determining the basic salary referred to in it has been six years old and has not yet been issued.
The basic wage is still at 100 Frw per day, even after more than 40 years there has been no change.
Gaston Rwaka
Amahoronews.com
