MRA takes over international transit fees collection

Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has been entrusted with the collection of International Transit Fees (ITF) in all the country’s borders, including customs stations in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre.

This was disclosed on Friday during the handover ceremony of the job from Roads Fund Administration (RFA) to MRA at Mwanza Border Post where the later ceased to administer the ITF and hand over the responsibility to the government revenue collection agency.

MRA commissioner general Ralph Kamoto said the responsibility entrusted to them will minimise fraud and ensure transparency and accountability of the funds collected in all border posts.

“ITF is the money charged on foreign registered vehicles with a minimum of two axles and is charged in foreign denominated currency per 100 kilometres or part thereof travelled in Malawi. The fees are collected at the borders upon entry in Malawi.

“RFA used to collect the fees at the four busiest borders of Songwe in Karonga, Mchinji, Dedza and Mwanza while MRA was collecting from Muloza in Mulanje, Marka in Nsanje, Biriwiri in Ntcheu, Chiponde in Mangochi, Mqocha in Mzimba and Chitipa,” said Kamoto.

RFA chief executive officer Stewart Malata said government started carrying out regulatory and institutional reforms aimed at enhancing ease of doing business to transform Malawi into a preferred destination for foreign direct investment (FDI).

“Now with the handing over of the responsibility to MRA, we have confidence that they will perform this function with efficiency and transparent in tandem with modern ways of doing business to the entire nation’s satisfaction considering that these funds are for the benefit of the country as a whole,” said Malata.

MRA said the change has been done to improve to improve business processes and streamline service access in line with the Malawi Government’s strategy to have a single window border.

This means that time spent on the border will be minimised as filling of temporary importation permit (TIP) and ITF will now be handled under one roof and at the same time.