The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has conducted meetings with cross-border traders and SMEs across the country on how best to pay taxes.

The meetings which are part of the ‘Everyone Must Pay Tax’ campaign were in Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Blantyre.

During the meetings the Authority made presentations on Domestic taxes, Customs and Excise. Brochures were also distributed on various taxes such as PAYE, Withholding tax and guide for importers and dangers of smuggling.

The presentation from Customs focussed on how traders could use and benefit from different trade agreements during importation and exportation of goods. On the other hand, the Domestic taxes presentation emphasised on how to register businesses for tax with MRA and the type of taxes that a business person would pay when registered.

During the meeting in the southern region, Station Manager for Blantyre Domestic Taxes Rose Ngwira reminded the business community that they are MRA partners and there is a need to start acting as such.

“MRA’s door is open to you all if at all you have issues to do with tax,” said Ngwira.

Among some of the issues that dominated the meetings were Withholding tax and what MRA is doing to make sure that the SMEs are treated fairly domestically and in different borders and roadblocks.

MRA launched the ‘Everyone Must Pay Tax’ campaign on 3rd February 2017. The main objective of the campaign is to drum up support from all Malawians to pay tax considering that tax revenue is the only source of revenue in the absence of donor support.

So far, the Authority has conducted taxation workshops with the civil society, SMEs and cross border traders. MRA is running media briefings and interviews to reach out to more Malawians regarding taxation.

More taxation workshops with other various business groups are expected to be conducted under the ‘Everyone Must Pay Tax’ campaign.

BY THOKOZANI CHIOTCHA