Addis Ababa Tax Inspectors Find New Ways to Bypass Body Cameras, Merchants Report

The Addis Ababa Revenues Bureau introduced body-worn cameras equipped with live audio-video streaming and GPS tracking to curb corruption among tax inspectors. While official complaints have decreased and tax revenue has grown according to Communications Director Sewnet Ayele, a report by Reporter Newspaper highlights that inspectors are adopting new strategies to bypass technology. Merchants in areas like Bole Medhanealem, Gerji, and Karalo reported that inspectors take off their uniforms and turn off cameras to consume free food and drinks or demand bribes. In other cases, inspectors visit shops as ordinary customers without receiving receipts, only to return later in uniform with cameras on to catch merchants 'red-handed' and extort money under threat of severe penalties. Officials advise affected taxpayers to note the inspector's ID code and call the toll-free line 7075 to submit video-verifiable complaints. However, many business owners refrain from reporting due to fear of retaliation, harassment, or lack of awareness regarding the complaint mechanisms.