Domestic Taxes Division to open new offices

The Domestic Taxes Division of the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) will soon open new offices at Post Offices to get closer to the taxpayer as one way of enhancing tax compliance.

New Domestic Taxes offices will be opened in Post Offices at Nchalo, Limbe, Ntcheu, Nkhotakota and Bwalo La Njobvu-Lilongwe in the first phase of the exercise.

A committee to oversee the opening of the new Domestic Taxes offices has been set up and it visited some of the Post Offices to appreciate the operational and ICT requirements.

Chairperson of the committee McDonald Chambukira, who is also Deputy Commissioner (Operations) in the Domestic Taxes division, said the opening of the new offices will improve tax compliance.

“The idea of increasing the presence of Domestic Taxes Offices came about following recommendations by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on block management aimed at increasing taxpayer compliance in towns and trading centres and Malawi Government proposal for one stop centres,” he said.   

During the visit to the Post Offices, it was observed that the new Domestic Taxes offices would require branding, signposting, Local and Wide Area Networks, staffing, CCTV cameras, air conditioners, furniture, power generators, 5 KVA UPS, vehicles, trunking and electrical wiring among other requirements.

Officials from Malawi Posts Corporation (MPC) and the Ministry of Transport and Public Works accompanied the committee on the tour to help determine the operational and ICT requirements.

The committee is made up of members from Domestic Taxes, ICT, Administration, Finance, Corporate Affairs and Supply Chain Management divisions.

The opening of the new offices coincides with the One Stop Public Services Delivery Centres Project under the Malawi Government’s Public Sector Reform program.

Under the reform program, MPC will provide space at its Post Offices to MRA to improve service delivery to taxpayers.