PRESIDENT CHAKWERA GRACES MRA SILVER JUBILEE

The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has marked a major milestone by celebrating 25 years of revenue administration at a colourful event held at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.

The Silver Jubilee celebrations, held on Friday 1^st August 2025, were presided over by the President of the Republic of Malawi, Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera and attended by key government officials, taxpayers, diplomats, development partners, private sector leaders and MRA staff.

During the ceremony, President Chakwera awarded five outstanding institutions for their exemplary tax compliance and contribution to tax revenues.

The recipients were the National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA), Airtel Malawi Limited, the Ministry of Education, Conduril Engenharia S.A and Golden Bay Limited. NOCMA emerged as the overall top tax contributor.

The awards were based on tax compliance and the quantum of taxes paid, reflecting each entity’s consistency and scale of contributions. Tax compliance includes proper tax registration, timely payment of taxes, accurate filing of returns and proper record keeping among other requirements.

In his keynote address, President Chakwera underscored the significance of self-reliance as a cornerstone of the Malawi 2063 Vision.

He said the MRA Silver Jubilee was not just a celebration, but a turning point in Malawi’s journey towards economic emancipation.

“We are entering a great season of revenue collection for Malawi and Malawians,” the President declared.

“Over the past five years, we have laid a strong foundation: increasing the tax-free bracket to K100,000, strengthening governance and building systems of transparency and accountability,” he said.

President Chakwera announced that, building on this foundation, Government plans to introduce a tax cut of no less than 10% across the board over the next five years.

He also revealed upcoming policies to reward taxpayers who support national efforts, such as those who contribute to national food reserves, with tax discounts.

Furthermore, the President said the Government would abolish cash payments for all taxes and public services to end abuse, improve transparency and foster a culture of compliance.

In his remarks, Minister of Finance Simplex Chithyola Banda, commended MRA for its critical role in national development.

“Taxes collected by MRA have financed the construction of roads, hospitals, schools and more. Over 60% of Malawi’s national budget is now funded by tax revenues,” he said.

He further emphasized the Government’s commitment to supporting MRA through sound tax policies, modernization and the ongoing domestic resource mobilization strategy, aligned with the Malawi 2063 Vision.

MRA Board Chairperson Vizenge Kumwenda reflected on MRA’s journey since its establishment in 1998 and operational launch in 2000.

He noted that MRA started with just 200 staff members and has since grown to a strong team of 1,700 employees.

“The growth of tax revenues, from millions to trillions, reflects the resilience, innovation and strategic reforms that MRA has implemented over the years,” he said.

Kumwenda highlighted MRA’s success in exceeding its July 2025 revenue target by K35 billion and its strong performance in recent years, including 94% revenue collection in the 2024/25 fiscal year.

He also acknowledged the impact of systems like Msonkho Online, ASYCUDA, Cargo Scanners and One-Go Border Posts in enhancing taxpayer services and curbing tax evasion.

During the event, guests were treated to a documentary highlighting MRA’s 25-year journey, a performance of the official MRA theme song and an entertaining drama by Chindime and the All Stars.

 

BY WADZA OTOMANI