Mwanza District is a crucial gateway to some of Malawi’s largest regional trade partners.
Trucks laden with goods ferry essential goods to and from neighbouring Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
This vibrant scene reflects economic dynamism, yet beneath the surface once lurked a hidden challenge—inefficient revenue collection that threatened the district’s financial stability.
For years, revenue streams such as market fees, business licences and border entry charges were tracked manually.
The inefficient system made it difficult to ensure transparency and accountability. Errors were common and revenue leakages meant lost opportunities for community investment and efficient public service delivery.
But change has arrived. With the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mwanza has embraced the Local Revenue Management Information System (Lormis). The homegrown digital solution is transforming governance and positively impacting lives.
Financial freedom
Before the digital revolution, managing Mwanza’s revenue was not easy. Tracking payments and reconciling accounts was labour-intensive and prone to fraud.
District commissioner Martha Margareta Sineta recalls: “Our main challenge was the pilferage of resources.
“We were losing a lot because tracking revenue collectors was difficult. Reconciliation was done manually, which was time-consuming and prone to errors.”
Lormis has turned the tide and the district’s revenue base has surged, allowing Mwanza to reinvest in critical services and infrastructure.
Sineta says the system has bolstered the district’s financial independence.
Before the switch, the district generated K63 million between 2022 and 2023, but revenue has increased to about K129 million between 2024 and 2025.
“Most councils struggle to pay staff, but not Mwanza,” Sineta says. “Now, every kwacha collected is fully accounted for, enabling the council to allocate revenue towards community development.”
Mwanza District Council director of finance Mathias Makuti says checks and balances have improved significantly.
“We had a problem with monitoring and supervision. Since we have several markets, we could not manage to supervise all of them at once because they are in different places. The system allows us to oversee all of them simultaneously, ensuring accountability,” he says.
Building trust
For many traders in Mwanza’s bustling markets, digital revenue collection has been a game-changer. Vendors, once reluctant to pay market fees, now trust that their payments are going directly into public services, not corrupt individuals’ pockets.
District trade officer Mervin Mondiwa emphasises how Lormis has streamlined operations.
“We used to have under-collections because we could not track those who had paid and those who had not,” he explains. “Now, the system tracks everything digitally. It’s transparent, and we finally have peace of mind.”
Mwanza main market chairperson Henderson Ganizani has witnessed an inspiring shift in vendor confidence.
“This is a good system. What is so interesting is that the ticket is original, not forged. If it’s from the machine, we trust that it is good,” he says.
For vendors like Joyce Nanyaka, who trades in the main market near the district hospital, the improvements go beyond revenue collection, including markets’ renovations.
“This system is convenient; all transactions are done instantly,” she says. “When we seek help from the council, we now receive timely responses.”
Speed matters
For cross-border truck driver Brian Mussa, time is a valuable resource as he transports essential goods that sustain the landlocked country’s economic supply chain.
“When we arrive at the pay point, it helps us not to spend much time and assures us that the funds are submitted to the council,” he says.
Even revenue collectors have experienced a significant improvement.
Mercy Umali says her work has become more efficient and transparent.
“The system is fast and transparent,” she says. “All transactions can be traced by supervisors sitting at the council office.”
This reduces the risk of errors and mismanagement, enhancing revenue collection, fairness, efficiency and accountability.
As a result, the council can better allocate resources for public services and benefit the entire community.
Looking forward
Lormis developer Fostino Laison is Mwanza District Council systems analyst.
He envisions more districts adopting the system, which works on two platforms.
“There is an Android application which is mostly used in e-ticketing and market tickets, vehicle parking fees and even border entry fees. We also have business registration. Currently, Mwanza is using all the components of the system,” he states.
More than just a financial tool, it is strengthening the district’s foundation for sustainable growth.
Mwanza’s streets and markets, once marked by financial uncertainty, now thrive with increased trust, efficiency and progress. From vibrant marketplaces to smooth border crossings, the once-struggling district is stepping confidently into a future where every transaction counts.
