Corruption scandal haunts Malawi Revenue Authority, Mbilizi named
The public tax collector, Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) Deputy Commissioner General, Roza Mbilizi, is accused of receiving hefty sums of money from one of the companies bidding to supply the Integrated Tax Administration System (iTAS) to MRA which is aimed at streamlining and simplifying tax collection in order to maximize revenue collection.
According to Nyasa Times sources at MRA, bids were recently invited from local and international firms to provide iTAS and the MRA Internal Procurement Committee (IPC) has finally shortlisted five companies, all-foreign-based, for final assessment and appointment of the successful bidder.
A member of the MRA IPC has revealed that the ‘successful bidder’ is a foregone conclusion because the deputy CG, Mbilizi’s conduct during the assessment meetings ahead of the identification of the successful bidder smells fishy.
According to the source, Mbilizi is clearly in favour of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) of India, currently embroiled in legal suits in many countries, including in the US and Kenya for corruption and other shady deals.
The other bidders include Data Torque that operate in Australia and New Zealand, Sigtas, CRC Sogema of Canada, Intrasoft of Luxembourg and Crown Agents of the United Kingdom.
“From an internally instituted investigation, it is understood the deputy CG may have pocketed around US$150,000 (about K75 million) as upfront payment for her to influence the IPC to offer them the over US$10 million (over K5 billion) contract. Upon selection, it has been established, Mbilizi, would get another US$150,000 as final payment,” said the source.
According to the source, another IPC member and MRA Project Manager, Peter Chikabadwa, is also suspected to have pocked close to US$100,000 (about K50 million) as upfront payment from Intrasoft based on the same Mbilizi-Tata theory. This, the source said, was established after an internal investigation was instituted following Chikabadwa’s suspicious conduct in favour of Intrasoft.
“Both officers’ conduct in the matters pertaining to the two respective firms has not been objective hence a silent investigation was necessary,” he claimed, adding that concerns against Tata are extremely grave as they are facing lawsuits in the US and Kenya and that they have not delivered in most African countries they worked in.
In the United States, Tata had been slapped with a lawsuit by Orange County for making “a series of false promises and intentional misrepresentations” during a bidding process for a contract.
In Kenya, a group of taxpayers had petitioned the Anti Corruption Commission in March 2014 to investigate how the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) spent close to 500 million Kenya Shillings “on an online tax collection project that has failed to function properly”, according to the Kenyan Sunday Nation of March 30, 2014.
Tata was managing the project and the petitioners were questioning why KRA were awarding Tata a fresh contract, without any bidding process, when in fact, the earlier project by the same Tata had flopped.
MRA has three revenue divisions of Customs Division (Imports), Customs Division (Exports) and Domestic Taxes Division The Customs Division (Imports) and the Customs Division (Exports) Divisions administer and enforce the Customs and Excise Act. The Domestic Taxes Division Division administers and enforces the Taxation and VAT Acts. The Division collects direct Income Taxes from individuals and corporations. These are in form of Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Provisional Tax, Fringe Benefit Tax and Withholding Tax.
With the donors zipping their aid purse, the DPP led administration will largely rely on MRA for prudent and maximum revenue collection to run the economy, which is already facing difficulties.
MRA public relations office were coy to comment on the matter while Mbilizi and Chikabadwa did not entertain a Nyasa Times reporter to interview them.
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With the zero tolerance for corruption policy we say to have adopted I recommend that
the two suspicious officials be fired with Immediate effect. This is the last thing we need to hear at this time, when we are trying to cut all the rotten parts from our apple.
Let MRA officers enjoy their sweat collecting money day and night instead of politicians who have cash gated more.muluzi did steal; bingo did steal ; Joyce also did and APM is doing it .have you not heard of NAC GATE. If mbilizi get suspended then APM and his wife should be suspended also. Stupid thieves.
She is also taking for APM as lutepo did to Joyce.
Kanthu kanyeka.
Aaaaaaa ndimadziwa ine kuti ka Peter chikabadwa ma projects amenewa kalemera nawo.no wonder akutumiza ka girlfriend ku france for shopping and ka girlfriend koti samadya kuzamuuza kuti sh wants to go wt a cousin ali boy friend wake.an IT officer ku bishop Mackenzie.ine nnadabwa kuti cash yake yomweyi ya Malawiyi? ok ok tikukuonani.am sending a Memo to H.E. as for Roza we all know kut shs back to MRA kukazipepesa.cry my beloved Malawi.
hahahhahaha Roza mwaonjeza change pamalo kuomolako yako.Peter chikabadwa mwanadala,ulidi ndi chibwana we know the projects you have in Lilongwe new area 43 and 44.koma Peter I though umapempheratu.kkkkkk komadi cash is evil.ayi musova ndi Rosa wakoyo nanga si aliyense akukokera kwakeee?? and Rosa wagula mwachangu a mansion ku 47.ayi ndi MRA imeneyo tikuonerani.
This is why I hate paying tax. This is why many Malawians hate paying taxes. In Malawi tax is defined as a fine for doing well; while a fine is defined as a tax for wrong doing. For example you are fined for driving a car without a drivers licence, and taxed for working very hard and earning more or making reasonable profit.
The sad thing is after being taxed for being s good citizen the money goes to cashgate, fertiliser gate, maize gate, Nacgate, and the rest of the gates.
This is why I hate paying tax. This is why many Malawians hate paying. In Malawi tax is defined as a fine for doing well; while a fine is defined as a tax for wrong doing. For example you are fined for driving a car without a drivers licence, and taxed for working very hard and earning more or making reasonable profit.
The sad thing is after being taxed for being s good citizen the money goes to cashgate, fertiliser gate, maize gate, Nacgate, and the rest of the gates.
THAT IS NOT NEW, ANAYAMBA KALE-KALE KU MRA, EVEN ZA KATUNDU OTULUKA NDI KULOWA.
This woman is so very evil.She was once at MRA but she was sucked due to embezzlement of money.Now just a few months she is in this kangaude of corruption.Last week she terminated employment of so many young innocent Malawians here at MRA.I wonder shy Mr president Prof.A munthalika you trusted this thief with The government’s Power House.If you want things to be ok here at MRA please,Remove this Woman or else,you will see what will happen.People dont want this woman here ,Thats why these stories are coming Out.
Sizachilendo izi,zidzukulu za achinaZakeyo am’Baibulo
pachichewa pali mau tumani mbamva kutu ikagwire mbamva Amaiwa enafe tikuwadziwa kuti ndi akuba koma chifukwa cha ndale, ndikuti andale abenawo ndichikwa anabwezera amai wa ku MRA ayi nthawi yanu mai pakulani.