Tinotenda Hove- While ordinary Zimbabweans are being taxed to death, Government is celebrating collecting more than ZiG220 billion in revenue during the first nine months of 2026, with Treasury boasting it is on course to meet its annual target of ZiG280 billion.

The figures, contained in the latest State of the Economy Report, expose how Government is milking citizens dry to fund its wasteful expenditure, at a time companies are closing, unemployment is soaring and families can barely afford basic commodities.

According to the report, Value Added Tax (VAT) contributed the largest share of revenue, followed by Personal Income Tax, Corporate Tax and Excise Duty – all taxes that directly hit the already overburdened consumer and worker.

VAT, which is paid on every loaf of bread, every litre of fuel and every bundle of data, remains the biggest cash cow for Government, proving that the poor are carrying the heaviest load of keeping the State afloat.

Treasury claims the collections are critical to financing domestic projects, reducing budget deficits and limiting reliance on external loans, yet there is little to show on the ground, with hospitals having no drugs, roads riddled with potholes and schools in a deplorable state.

The Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion has expressed confidence that the annual revenue target will be achieved, a statement that will only send chills down the spine of taxpayers who are bracing for more taxes in the 2027 National Budget set for November 19.

For ordinary Zimbabweans, the ZiG220 billion is not a success story but evidence of extortion – a Government that taxes everything from salaries to airtime while failing to account for how the money is used.