Ministry of Transport and Public Works has promised motorcycle taxi operators (kabaza) associations an international learning tour and to facilitate the purchase of their safety helmets on credit to boost business.
Deputy Minister of Transport and Public Works Steven Malondela said this during a meeting with Malawi Coalition for Kabaza Stakeholders and Association (Macokasa) on Saturday in Lilongwe.
In an interview yesterday, he confirmed that the contents of the Kabaza coalition letter were a true reflection of their discussion.
on Saturday. | Courtesy of Macokasa
On designating special places for kabaza taxis in the cities, Malondela said the arrangement will be replicated across the country after piloting it in Lilongwe City.
“We are rolling out first in Lilongwe before a national roll out. We want to use it as pilot. We will fill the gaps thereafter roll it nationwide and serve better over 2.2 million kabaza operators,” said the governing Malawi Congress Party (MCP) director of youth.
The pledges have since moved kabaza operators to shelve plans to hold demonstrations to protest against acts by some alleged MCP officials who allegedly demanded money from the operators purportedly to buy their right to do business in the capital city.
In a letter dated May 17 2025 addressed to Lilongwe district commissioner Lawford Palani, Macokasa said besides the international trip and helmets, the minister directed that the Lilongwe City Council should designate special places where kabaza taxis should be operating from.
Besides the new incentives for kabaza operators, government, through the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has also granted them a four-month amnesty to clear motorcycles at a heavily discounted rate.
A motorcycle that would ordinarily cost over K400 000 is now allowed to pay only K56 000 which still affords government some revenue. Official government records show that not more than 200 000 motorcycles are registered in the system.
Using Malondela’s figure of 2.2 million, if two million registered at K56 000 during the amnesty which ends next month, government can rake in about K112 billion.
