MRA takes over responsibility of collecting all international transit fees

The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has taken over the responsibility of collecting International Transit Fees (ITF) from the Road Fund Administration (RRA), which has been responsible for all transit fees revenue collection from all the entry border stations across the country including Customs stations in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre.

The change follows an agreement signed by MRA and RFA at Mwanza Boarder station on November 28.

The International Transit Fees (ITF) is a road user charge on foreign registered trucks with a minimum of two axles, according to MRA.

The ITF is charged in foreign denominated currency (US Dollars) per 100 kilometers or part thereof travelled in Malawi.

“MRA will effectively, on agency arrangement, be responsible for all transit fees revenue collection from all the entry boarder stations across the country including its Customs stations in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Balntyre,” Raphael Kamoto, MRA Commissioner General.

Kamoto said the change has been necessitated to improve the business processes and streamline service access at the boarders in line with Malawi government’s strategy of a single window boarder.

“This will improve the ease of doing business in Malawi besides enhancing collection of the fees for the general improvement of road network in the country.

“The move is convenient to transporters as they will now be served under one roof with regard to Temporary Importation permit and Transit Fees thereby eliminating delays occasioned by the drivers moving between RFA and MRA offices at the boarder posts,” said Kamoto.

According to Kamoto, MRA will be using its automated system for customs data to capture, store and analyse and ITF transactions. This will minimize TIP abuse, store and default payment of transit fees.

This arrangement will enhance compliance because transporters will be required to pay transit fees before obtaining a Temporary Importation Permit.

Previously before the change over, the Road Fund Administration was collecting the transit fees at Mwanza, Dedza, Mchinji and Songwe boarder stations.

MRA was, on an agency arrangement, collecting the transit fees at Muloza, Marka, Biriwiri, Chiponde, Mqoha and Chitipa boarder stations.

The new arrangement expands MRS’s scope to cover all entryborder points in the country.

“MRA will use its enforcement instruments such as roadblocks and Flexible Anti-Smuggling Teams (FAST) to ensure that transporters comply with the law,” Kamoto emphasized.