The long awaited Burundi Revenue Authority (BRA) is set to start operations in January next year.

The newly appointed Commissioner General for BRA, Mr. Emile Sinzumusi said that in July this year, the government published an act paving way for establishment of the revenue body.

He said that a board has been set up as well as the Commissioner General and soon a deputy commissioner general will be recruited based on competitive basis.

"I am now working with a technical committee which will soon be replaced by a board to establish a business plan for the year 2010 and we expect to operate BRA by January 2010", he said.  

Mr. Sinzumusi was talking to East African Business Week on the sidelines of the 27th East African Community Revenue Authority (EACRA) Commissioners' General (CGs) Meeting concluded last week in Kigali.  By establishing a tax administration body, Burundi will join Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania, the other four East African Community (EAC) partner states that operate national revenue bodies. Burundi still collects tax revenue under a customs department in the Ministry of Finance.