Government in roundtable dialogue with North Malawi businesses over MRA, development
The Malawi government dispatched four senior cabinet ministers to the Northern region who had a roundtable dialogue meeting with businesses from Chitipa, Karonga, Rumphi, Mzimba, Nkhatabay and Mzuzu City.
The discussions took place on Saturday in Mzuzu revolving around several petitions that the businesses submitted to the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) in Chitipa, Karonga and Mzuzu.
The ministers were led by Jappie Mhango Minister of Health and Population and the three others were Minister of Transport and Public Works Ralph Jooma, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Mark Botomani and Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Symon Vuwa Kaunda.
Leading the onslaught of their distress, interim secretary for Concerned Businesspersons in the North Mzondi Mkandawire said despite getting various clarification and information about MRA operations most of their grievances were not addressed.
“MRA responded to our petitions that we gave them in Mzuzu, Karonga and Chitipa. We are also in Malawi and we pay taxes. But they could not respond to us on issues of businesses that we need like government contracts as locals, employment of our youths in the region, completion of current road projects and the most contentious Chitipa-Mbirima road which in a very bad state as we speak,” said Mkandawire.
Mhango underlined that government projects are not done to favour any region as some people perceive. He allowed MRA Head of Corporate Affairs Steven Kapoloma to make a presentation of taxes collected per month that showed that on average MRA collects K78 billion and K4 billion or 5 percent is collected in the Northern Region.
The ministers gave an outline of government projects being undertaken in the region ranging from road construction projects, agriculture, irrigation and telecoms infrastructure development projects that are worth over K800 billion.
Jooma said all projects that government started will be completed and that works will soon start to reconstruct the M1 road from Jenda to Chiweta. He said already feasibility studies were done on the Chitipa-Mbirima road to upgrade it to a bitumen road.
This was concurred by Roads Authority Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Matapa who said a contractor BBM Infratech is the one doing some works for the upgrade.
Botomani said most information on the projects is accessible from Malawi government website for all to see. He said the Karonga-Songwe and Mzuzu-Nkhatabay roads are already complete in addition to the newly completed Mzimba water supply system.
“Government is implementing water supply projects in Karonga, Nkhatabay, Mzuzu City, Ekwendeni. We talk of Kasama Technical College, Ngara Community Technical College, Chonanga and Mphinga Irrigation Schemes Rehabilitation, Rumphi Teachers College all the way to Chitipa-Nthalire-Rumphi Road via Nyika National Park some of these are already operational be assured that the Malawi government is for all Malawians,” Botomani said.
Some of the businesses expressed worry on the level of revenue that the region is contributing and have since offered to help tip government where else to collect revenue from with trust that they be given contracts to employ more Malawians.
Inkosi Ya Makosi Mbelwa, Paramount Chief Kyungu and Senior Chief Kameme were present throughout the meeting and they commended the initiative by businesses to dialogue with the relevant government authorities and the ministers for humbling themselves to listen to peoples concerns. They all appealed for love, patriotism and respect among all Malawians.
The chief says the ministers humbled them selves to come for the meeting. What we should know is that the ministers are servants of he people there is nothing like humbling them selves here. They are required to listen to the people when people want explanations from the government. . They are our servants, not bosses and we have the right to call them come and explain things when need be.
ndye mwati ambwenu mbwenu wa phokoso loselija amapeleka ka 5% basi? kkkkk mbalame za anthu
Nanu Inu akuti That is what is collected from the North not from Northerners …People from all over Malawi use the Mbirima Road …Inu mulibe ache abale anu omwe amapita ku Tunduma to buy Zovala ….ask them about the Road…Now why should such a busy road be in such a poor State….Even if you were to break down the Revenue Collection per District ….Are the Development Projects proportional to Revenue Collection ….Or just Politics ?Kapena anthu akamatopereka msonkho azipanga indicate komwe akufuna Upite ?
Considering that all the diplomatic community, Parliament and seat of government, International airport, Reserve bank
and all are elsewhere not the north, also the population of the whole north is less than 10% of the country
K4 billion is massive for an area with poor road connection, poor electricity links. I think they manage 4 billion because of food sufficiency in that region
Poor Roads …Poor Electricity connection…Yet the government collects a minimum of 4 billion per month ? Anakatokhala kuti Anthu ake salimbikira ulimi …..Anakafatu ndi Njala…Breakdown the Revenue Collection per District and let’s see if Development Projects are Proportional to Revenue Collection ..
..Anthu akumatogona pa Nseu wa Thalatu…..Siku lonse galimoto yodusa imozi Basi….Revenueyo akumapereka Zingati ?
Jappie, you are a fool, We know you just operate to put food on your table. U r a good example of disgraceful foolish leaders from the north
We are one family where concerns and disagreements arise we need to sit down and talk. All Malawians must have an equal share regardless of how much they contribute. Destroying our little resources wont take us anyway…
REVEUNE VS POPULATION
exactly. so why demand for more when you don’t have the population.
this really was a great Initiative to rule out misunderstandings. This is an eye opener for people from the North. Let us love our region and be the first to develop it. we are being told that we contribute 4 billion. This is an indicator of the economic activity there. Let us invest home. The North is the only region to rush and invest in the centre and south yet look at people from the other regions, they develop their regions. No matter how long people from Mangochi lives in SA or other regions, they invest home. That is why… Read more »
Sibweni, John mwanena mwa nzerutu apa osangolimbana with building Mansions in the central and southern region and you leave your own home dilapidated as if you are all dead consider your home , home is best mwanyane wakwithu pls.
Nobody is talking about your ‘ stupid federation here, kodi kumphoto kwanuko kuli chiyani abale ?
Northerners behave as if the whole country depends on them and yet it is just the opposite. Kuno ku lilongwe , mukaapedza akudya ngati mbewa
The only thing the 4 government ministers went there is kukonzekera chisankho and nothing else. They want to pave the way for their chibubu , Peter.
Ndangodutsamo ine olo munditukwane , komabe mwambva
Not supporting/voting for DPP in large numbers is the crime we committed,forget about the figures these crooks brought here,We in the north vote for merit not tribes,we voted for Bingu in large numbers in his second term because of what he did in his first term of office.No blind loyalty,No boot licking!
Botoman is a liar……